Ref's for Heineken clashes announced

Macsimus

Poite to take charge of Munster against Saints

GERRY THORNLEY
HEINEKEN CUP REFEREES: MUNSTER MAY be slightly unnerved to learn the French referee, Romain Poite, will be in charge of their concluding Heineken Cup pool game and likely group decider against Northampton on Friday, January 22nd. Poite was the inexperienced and controversial figure in the eye of a Thomond Park storm when refereeing the All Blacks’ 18-16 win over Munster in November 2008, and he was also in charge for London Irish’s 12-9 win over Leinster in the opening round this season.

As for the holders’ likely winner-takes-all finale against London Irish at the Madejski Stadium the next day, the referee will be Nigel Owens, with whom they have had a few run-ins in the past. However, he was also in charge of Leinster’s semi-final win over Munster last season as well as the final against Leicester. Maintaining something of a trend in the competition to date, both Munster and Leinster will have English referees in charge of their penultimate pool games, away to Treviso and at home to Brive, respectively, the weekend after next.

The experienced Chris White, one of only three referees to have overseen more than 50 Heineken Cup games, has been appointed to the Treviso-Munster match on Saturday, January 16th, while later that day Andrew Small will be the referee at the RDS.
Ulster will have two French referees for their concluding games at home to Edinburgh and away to Bath, namely Christophe Berdos at Ravenhill and Jerome Garces at the Rec.

One-third of the final two rounds of games will be refereed by Irishmen, with Alain Rolland, Alan Lewis (the other two officials to have taken charge of more than 50 games), George Clancy and Peter Fitzgibbon all appointed to games on both weekends.

Connacht will also have a familiar referee for their crunch Amlin Challenge Cup meeting with Montpellier in the shape of Scotland’s Peter Allan.

Pretty happy with that from a Leinster pov, Owens can be a bit of a homer - but arent they all - but at least we've a good few games under the belt with him and we should know how he is likely to want the game played.

Thornley reckons Munster wont be happy with Poite - cant remember him being that bad during the Munster V AB's game- but I rarely remember a bad reffing performance unless it was my team on the end of it - Any Munster posters with good memories??

thomond2006

The same Roman Poite who reffed Munster vs All Blacks.

Uh oh.

Macsimus

Poite to take charge of Munster against Saints

GERRY THORNLEYHEINEKEN CUP REFEREES: MUNSTER MAY be slightly unnerved to learn the French referee, Romain Poite, will be in charge of their concluding Heineken Cup pool game and likely group decider against Northampton on Friday, January 22nd. Poite was the inexperienced and controversial figure in the eye of a Thomond Park storm when refereeing the All Blacks’ 18-16 win over Munster in November 2008, and he was also in charge for London Irish’s 12-9 win over Leinster in the opening round this season.
As for the holders’ likely winner-takes-all finale against London Irish at the Madejski Stadium the next day, the referee will be Nigel Owens, with whom they have had a few run-ins in the past. However, he was also in charge of Leinster’s semi-final win over Munster last season as well as the final against Leicester. Maintaining something of a trend in the competition to date, both Munster and Leinster will have English referees in charge of their penultimate pool games, away to Treviso and at home to Brive, respectively, the weekend after next.
The experienced Chris White, one of only three referees to have overseen more than 50 Heineken Cup games, has been appointed to the Treviso-Munster match on Saturday, January 16th, while later that day Andrew Small will be the referee at the RDS.
Ulster will have two French referees for their concluding games at home to Edinburgh and away to Bath, namely Christophe Berdos at Ravenhill and Jerome Garces at the Rec.
One-third of the final two rounds of games will be refereed by Irishmen, with Alain Rolland, Alan Lewis (the other two officials to have taken charge of more than 50 games), George Clancy and Peter Fitzgibbon all appointed to games on both weekends.
Connacht will also have a familiar referee for their crunch Amlin Challenge Cup meeting with Montpellier in the shape of Scotland’s Peter Allan.

Pretty happy with that from a Leinster pov, Owens can be a bit of a homer - but arent they all - but at least we've a good few games under the belt with him and we should know how he is likely to want the game played.

Thornley reckons Munster wont be happy with Poite - cant remember him being that bad during the Munster V AB's game- but I rarely remember a bad reffing performance unless it was my team on the end of it - Any Munster posters with good memories??

Macsimus

apologies - seem to have put this thread up twice - mods please lock this one as its the duplicate

tks

Onearmedbandit

As long as its not Barnes I couldn't care less. I don't remember the French ref being particularly awful against the All Blacks. Im a big fan of Owens and I think he's definitely one of the best in the business.

irishbucsfan

Nigel Owens refereeing an Irish side against an English one?

Think I'll mark that one down as an automatic win.

Macsimus

thomond2006 wrote: »

The same Roman Poite who reffed Munster vs All Blacks.

Uh oh.

One and the same - AB's always get away with a bit though - so not surprising he bottled it and gave the 50/50's their way. Was there any particularly contentious decisions??

Hopefully this time he'll be more anti English than Irish

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Nigel Owens refereeing an Irish side against an English one?

Think I'll mark that one down as an automatic win.

fingers crossed

anonymous_joe

Macsimus wrote: »

Pretty happy with that from a Leinster pov, Owens can be a bit of a homer - but arent they all - but at least we've a good few games under the belt with him and we should know how he is likely to want the game played.

Thornley reckons Munster wont be happy with Poite - cant remember him being that bad during the Munster V AB's game- but I rarely remember a bad reffing performance unless it was my team on the end of it - Any Munster posters with good memories??

I hope that's not a dire pun. ><

Good news for Leinster anyway, they know how to play with Owens reffing.

suppafly

Macsimus wrote: »

Pretty happy with that from a Leinster pov, Owens can be a bit of a homer - but arent they all - but at least we've a good few games under the belt with him and we should know how he is likely to want the game played.

Thornley reckons Munster wont be happy with Poite - cant remember him being that bad during the Munster V AB's game- but I rarely remember a bad reffing performance unless it was my team on the end of it - Any Munster posters with good memories??

He is shocking, and was awful in that match. Cost us the match.

phog

thomond2006 wrote: »

The same Roman Poite who reffed Munster vs All Blacks.

Uh oh.

That is he and he did a great job in ensuring the memories of '78 stay alive.

However, Munster will now have a bit more video analysis on him and should be better prepared and iirc he has since done another game with Munster (not sure as it may have been Leinster as well). He reffed the Wasps/Tigers game today only saw about 15 mins of it and he seemed to be doing okay there.

danthefan

phog wrote: »

That is he and he did a great job in ensuring the memories of '78 stay alive.

However, Munster will now have a bit more video analysis on him and should be better prepared and iirc he has since done another game with Munster (not sure as it may have been Leinster as well). He reffed the Wasps/Tigers game today only saw about 15 mins of it and he seemed to be doing okay there.

Yep, he was fine today.

castie

I thought he was poor today.
Tiquiri's try was not a try, the ref shouldnt be turning away as the player crosses the line.
Also missed 2/3 knock ons for the try just after payne was sin binned.

PhatPiggins

castie wrote: »

I thought he was poor today.
Tiquiri's try was not a try, the ref shouldnt be turning away as the player crosses the line.
Also missed 2/3 knock ons for the try just after payne was sin binned.

I agree with you but he got little or no help from his touch judges.

Came down hard on Wasps scrum cheating, which they ve been getting away with for too many years.

phog

castie wrote: »

I thought he was poor today.
Tiquiri's try was not a try, the ref shouldnt be turning away as the player crosses the line.
Also missed 2/3 knock ons for the try just after payne was sin binned.

Actually, I saw that one but in fairness the Wasps defence was beaten, the player crossed the line all he had to do was touch it down and yes he knocked it on, actually, it was kind of a turning point too.

twinytwo

Macsimus wrote: »

Pretty happy with that from a Leinster pov, Owens can be a bit of a homer - but arent they all - but at least we've a good few games under the belt with him and we should know how he is likely to want the game played.

Thornley reckons Munster wont be happy with Poite - cant remember him being that bad during the Munster V AB's game- but I rarely remember a bad reffing performance unless it was my team on the end of it - Any Munster posters with good memories??

he cost munster the game.. gave the peno against mick for kicking a ball that was clearly out of the ruck... resulting in the last try