Owens to take charge in Clermont

Rugby: Nigel Owens will referee Leinster's highly anticipated trip to face Clermont Auvergne at the Stade Marcel Michelin on Sunday week after the Heineken Cup organisers confirmed the officials for rounds three and four of the competition. And Wayne Barnes, who refereed the thrilling semi-final between the two sides last season, will take charge of the return leg on December 15th.

Both sides are unbeaten in this year’s competition with the back-to-back meetings in the coming weeks certain to decide who qualifies as pool winners from Pool 5. Leinster may have overcome the powerful French outfit in Bordeaux on their way to a third title last season but have yet to come out on top in Clermont’s home stadium.

Munster, meanwhile, will welcome Romain Poite to Thomond Park when they host Pool 1 leaders Saracens in round three. Another French official, Pascal Gauzere, will take charge of the match at Vicarage Road. Ulster’s match at Northampton will have Jerome Garces in charge while England’s Greg Garner will run the rule over Connacht’s meeting with Biarritz at the Sportsground.

ROUND 3

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7th

Pool 4 Glasgow Warriors v Castres Olympique 19.35 Wayne Barnes (Eng)
Pool 3 Connacht Rugby v Biarritz Olympique 20.00 Greg Garner (Eng)
Pool 4 Northampton Saints v Ulster Rugby 20.00 Jérome Garces (Fra)

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8th

Pool 5 Scarlets v Exeter Chiefs 13.35 Mathieu Raynal (Fra)
Pool 2 Toulouse v Ospreys 14.35 Alain Rolland (Ire)
Pool 3 Zebre v Harlequins 14.35 Neil Paterson(Sco)
Pool 6 Sale Sharks v Toulon 15.40 Leighton Hodges (Wal)
Pool 1 Munster Rugby v Saracens 18.00 Romain Poite (Fra)
Pool 1 Racing Metro 92 v Edinburgh Rugby 19.00 Peter Fitzgibbon (Ire)

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 9th

Pool 6 Cardiff Blues v Montpellier 12.45 John Lacey (Ire)
Pool 2 Leicester Tigers v Benetton Treviso 15.00 Pascal Gauzere (Fra)
Pool 5 ASM Clermont Auvergne v Leinster Rugby 16.00 Nigel Owens (Wal)

ROUND 4

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14th

Pool 1 Edinburgh Rugby v Racing Metro 92 20.00 Dudley Phillips (Ire)
Pool 3 Biarritz Olympique v Connacht Rugby 21.00 Leighton Hodges (Wal)

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15th

Pool 2 Ospreys v Toulouse 13.35 George Clancy (Ire)
Pool 2 Benetton Treviso v Leicester Tigers 14.35 Alain Rolland (Ire)
Pool 3 Harlequins v Zebre 15.00 Mathieu Raynal (Fra)
Pool 5 Leinster Rugby v ASM Clermont Auvergne 15.40 Wayne Barnes (Eng)
Pool 5 Exeter Chiefs v Scarlets 15.40 Romain Poite (Fra)
Pool 4 Ulster Rugby v Northampton Saints 18.00 Nigel Owens (Wal)
Pool 6 Montpellier v Cardiff Blues 19.00 Greg Garner (Eng)

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 16th

Pool 4 Castres Olympique v Glasgow Warriors 13.45 Andrew Small (Eng)
Pool 1 Saracens v Munster Rugby 15.00 Pascal Gauzere (Fra)
Pool 6 Toulon v Sale Sharks 16.00 John Lacey (Ire)