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England referee gets 'South Africa vs France' Champions Cup clash
By Liam Heagney
A team of all-English officials headed up by referee Luke Pearce have been appointed to take charge of the attractive ‘South Africa vs France’ Investec Champions Cup round three meeting between the Sharks and Toulouse.
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With the respective 2024 Challenge Cup and Champions Cup champions facing off in Durban on January 11 with XVs likely to feature numerous Springboks and Les Bleus internationals, Pearce will be supported at Kings Park by assistant referees Adam Leal and Hamish Grant and TMO Stuart Terheege.
Other round three Champions Cup highlights include England’s Karl Dickson kicking off the weekend with Glasgow versus Racing 92 in Scotland on January 10, Ireland’s Eoghan Cross making his tournament refereeing debut with Stade Francais versus Northampton in Paris the following day, while Georgia’s Nika Amashukeli has been appointed for the La Rochelle versus Leinster game on the Sunday.
Challenge Cup highlights include Aimee Barrett-Theron becoming the first-ever South African female referee in an EPCR competition when she brings the curtain down on round three with Dragons vs Pau.
EPCR also confirmed that the following four World Rugby global law trials will be implemented for rounds three and four:
- 60-second conversion limit to align with penalties and improve game pace, which will be managed by a shot clock (where possible);
- 30-second set up for lineouts will match time for scrums, reducing downtime – which will be managed on-field by the match officials;
- Play-on rule in uncontested lineouts when the throw is not straight;
- Scrum-half protection during scrums, rucks and mauls.
Click here for the match official appointments for round three of the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup.
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With Half the Springboks out with Injury this is more like Sharks vs France