The match officials have been announced for this year’s Champions Cup and Challenge Cup semi-finals, which take place on April 29 and 30.
Wayne Barnes will take charge of the opening Champions Cup clash of the weekend, which sees Leinster face Toulouse at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.
The English official is set to be assisted by Luke Pearce and Adam Leal on the touchline while Stuart Terheege completes the English quartet as the TMO.
Peyper to referee clash in Bordeaux
Sunday’s Champions Cup tie between La Rochelle and Exeter Chiefs sees South Africa’s Jaco Peyper given the whistle at Matmut Atlantique in Bordeaux.
He will be joined in the officiating group by Andrew Brace (Ireland), Andrea Piardi (Italy) as assistants while Brian MacNeice (Ireland) will be the TMO.
The Challenge Cup will follow the same schedule as the top tier tournament with one game taking place on Saturday and the other being set for Sunday.
French official Mathieu Raynal will referee the Scarlets v Glasgow Warriors semi-final on Saturday, with Pierre Brousset and Tual Trainini the assistant referees. The all-French team for that meeting at Parc y Scarlets sees Eric Gauzins named as the TMO.
Sunday’s tie between Toulon and Benetton will be refereed by Karl Dickson. Matthew Carley and Christophe Ridley will run touch and Tom Foley is TMO.
The winners of this year’s Champions Cup semi-finals will progress to the final on Saturday, May 20, which will take place at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, with the Challenge Cup final being played at the same venue on the previous evening (Friday, May 19).
Champions Cup semi-finals
Saturday, April 29
Leinster v Toulouse
Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Kick-off: 15:00 BST (14:00 GMT)
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant Referees: Luke Pearce (England), Adam Leal (England)
TMO: Stuart Terheege (England)
Sunday, April 30
La Rochelle v Exeter Chiefs
Venue: Matmut Atlantique, Bordeaux
Kick-off: 16:00 local (15:00 BST, 14:00 GMT)
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Assistant Referees: Andrew Brace (Ireland), Andrea Piardi (Italy)
TMO: Brian MacNeice (Ireland)
Who you backing to make the #HeinekenChampionsCup Final??
Click Here: Liverpool soccer tracksuit
Tickets for @staderochelais v @ExeterChiefs on sale now ➡️ https://t.co/kf3xS9snHF @leinsterrugby v @StadeToulousain tickets on sale at 2PM BST ⏰ pic.twitter.com/Wn74oIrdfp
— Heineken Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) April 11, 2023
Challenge Cup semi-finals
Saturday, April 29
Scarlets v Glasgow Warriors
Venue: Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli
Kick-off: 17.30 BST (16:30 GMT)
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)
Assistant Referees: Pierre Brousset (France), Tual Trainini (France)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (France)
Sunday, April 30
Toulon v Benetton
Venue: Stade Félix-Mayol
Kick-off: 13:30 local (12:30 BST, 11:30 GMT)
Referee: Karl Dickson (England)
Assistant Referees: Matthew Carley (England), Christophe Ridley (England)
TMO: Tom Foley (England)
