Match officials announced for EPCR quarter-finals

Irish official Andrew Brace has been handed the first of the Investec Champions Cup quarter-finals, after EPCR, the competition’s organisers, confirmed next weekend’s line-up of match officials.

Brace will take charge of Bath’s clash at home to Northampton, as the last two PREM Rugby champions go head to head.

The 37-year-old has a decade’s worth of experience in the Champions Cup and was the man in the middle during one of the most memorable European ties to be played at The Rec, the 22-20 defeat to Toulouse in 2018 when Freddie Burns dropped a clanger.

He was assistant referee when Saints lost last season’s final to Union Bordeaux-Begles. Friday night’s game, which is heading for a sellout, will be the first time that Brace has taken charge of either team this season, though.

Former PREM scrum-half Karl Dickson has been handed the second quarter-final between Glasgow Warriors and Toulon at Scotstoun the following day. Dickson ran touch in Toulon’s narrow Round of 16 victory over Stormers last weekend.

The second of Saturday’s quarter-finals between Leinster and Sale Sharks will be overseen by Frenchman Pierre Brousset, while Matt Carley has been tasked with the all-French tie involving reigning champions Union Bordeaux-Begles and the competition’s most-decorated team, Toulouse.

Meanwhile, Hollie Davidson, who had to sit out last weekend’s fixtures, returns from illness to take charge of the opening Challenge Cup quarter-final between Ulster and La Rochelle.

English duo, Christophe Ridley and Luke Pearce, have been handed Montpellier vs Connacht and Zebre vs Dragons, respectively, while Luc Ramos will oversee Sunday’s tie between Benetton and Exeter Chiefs.

Top Georgian official Nika Amashukeli is absent from both the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup roster, presumably because of the injury he sustained towards the end of the first half of Bath’s Round of 16 win over Saracens.