The officials for the upcoming United Rugby Championship (URC) quarter-finals have been announced, adding an additional layer of excitement to the highly-anticipated matches. The much-awaited games are scheduled to take place this weekend, further fueling the anticipation with the confirmation of the match officials.
Scottish referee Hollie Davidson will be officiating the first quarter-final encounter between Munster and Ospreys on Friday evening. This will notably be Davidson’s 15th URC game, underscoring her extensive experience and expertise in the sport. She will be supported by Andrea Piardi and Gianluca Gnecchi as assistant referees.
Fellow Scot Mike Adamson will oversee the match between the Bulls and Benetton at Loftus Versveld on Saturday. Adamson, a familiar figure in the URC, will be accompanied by Sam Grove-White and Adam Jones as assistant referees, while Ben Whitehouse will serve as the TMO.
In Dublin, Andrew Brace will be in charge of the highly-anticipated clash between Leinster and Ulster at the Aviva Stadium. Brace, officiating his 96th URC match, will be supported by Craig Evans and Eoghan Cross, with TMO duties being undertaken by Brian MacNeice.
Irishman Chris Busby will referee the final quarter-final match on Saturday as the Glasgow Warriors and Stormers face off at Scotstoun Stadium. Busby will be assisted by Frank Murphy and Peter Martin as assistant referees, with Mark Patton fulfilling the TMO duties.
The presence of these esteemed match officials and the high-stakes matches promise an enthralling weekend for rugby fans. As the countdown to the URC quarter-finals begins, the spotlight is now firmly on these skilled referees who will play a pivotal role in ensuring fair play and upholding the integrity of the game.
The URC quarter-final matches are scheduled as follows:
Friday, June 7
Munster v Ospreys
Venue: Thomond Park, Limerick
Kick-off: 19.35 IRE & UK / 20.35 ITA & SA
Saturday, June 8
Bulls v Benetton
Venue: Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
Kick-off: 14.30 IRE & UK / 15.30 ITA & SA
Leinster v Ulster
Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Kick-off: 17.00 IRE & UK / 18.00 ITA & SA
Glasgow Warriors v DHL Stormers
Venue: Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow
Kick-off: 19.35 IRE & UK / 20.35 ITA & SA
These matches will be broadcast live on various platforms including RTÉ, S4C, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby, and URC.tv.
The announcement of the match officials follows several other notable developments in the rugby world. Excitement is mounting as fans eagerly anticipate the action-packed matches that are set to take place across the United Rugby Championship.
As the anticipation continues to build, rugby enthusiasts are counting down the hours until the quarter-final clashes kick off. With top-tier match officials ready to oversee the games, this weekend promises to be one of the most thrilling in the history of the United Rugby Championship.