Owens referees Leinster again

WELSH REFEREE Nigel Owens will take charge of Leinster’s Heineken Cup semi-final against Toulouse at Le Stadium on Saturday, May 1st. England’s Dave Pearson will officiate at Munster’s meeting with Biarritz Olympique at Estadio Anoeta on May 2nd.

Owens refereed Leinster’s successful 2009 Heineken Cup quarter-final against Harlequins at The Stoop, their 80,000-plus capacity semi-final against Munster at Croke Park and the final against Leicester in Murrayfield, the match that made them European champions for the first time.

The ERC also announced England’s Wayne Barnes will referee the Amlin Challenge Cup semi-final between Connacht and Toulon at the Sportsground on April 30th, with Frenchman Roman Poite taking charge of Cardiff’s match against London Wasps at Adams Park on May 1st.

The Ireland Under-20 squad for this year’s IRB Junior World Championship, which will take place in the Santa Fé region of Argentina in June, was also named yesterday. Coach Allen Clarke has named a 25-man squad with one further position to be filled.

“We are looking forward to the IRB Junior World Championship in Argentina in June and have strong foundations to build on from the work we have done during the Six Nations,” said Clarke.

Ireland are in Pool B and face France, England and host nation Argentina.

Domestically, the finals of Divisions Two and Three of the AIB League, due to take place in Anglesea Road on Friday, May 7th have been rescheduled for the following day at the same venue following discussion with the clubs.

The Division Three final between Queen’s University and Nenagh Ormond kicks off at 12pm with the Division Two final between Lansdowne and Bruff kicking off at 2pm.

The Division One final between Cork Constitution and St Mary’s College will kick off at 3.35pm in Dubarry Park, Athlone. Tickets for all three games will be available at the gate on the day.

HEINEKEN CUP SEMI-FINALS(kick-offs local time): Saturday, May 1st, 4.45pm – Toulouse v Leinster, Le Stadium, Toulouse, Nigel Owens (Wales); Sunday, May 2nd, 4.15pm – Biarritz v Munster, Estadio Anoeta, San Sebastian, Dave Pearson (England). Amlin Challenge Cup semi-finals (kick-offs local time): Friday, April 30th, 7.45pm – Connacht v RC Toulon, Sportsground, Wayne Barnes (England); Saturday, May 1st, 6pm – London Wasps v Cardiff Blues, Adams Park, High Wycombe, Romain Poite (France).

IRB JUNIOR RUGBY WORLD CUP SQUAD:N Annett (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster); D Buckley (Corinthians/Connacht); P Butler (Shannon/ Munster); B Cagney (UCC/Munster); A Conway (Blackrock/Leinster); J Cooney (UCD/Leinster); D Doyle (UCD/Leinster); E Griffin (Corinthians/Connacht); B Hayes (Cork Constitution/Munster); M Heaney (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster); D Hudson (St Mary's/Leinster); B Macken (Blackrock/Leinster); S Maguire (Old Belvedere/Leinster); B Marshall (UCD/Leinster); J McKinney (Queen's/Ulster); J Murphy (Blackrock/Leinster); R O'Sullivan (Bective/Leinster); D O'Callaghan (UCC/Munster)*; J O'Connell (Lansdowne/Leinster)*; T O'Halloran (Galwegians/Connacht); N Reid (UCD/Leinster); R Ruddock (UCD/Leinster)*; D Ryan (Lansdowne/Leinster)*; N Spence (Ballynahinch/Ulster)*; S Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster); AN Other. *Denotes players involved with last year's JWC.

Irish fixtures:Jun 5th: France v Ireland, Estadio El Coloso del Parque, Rosario, 2pm; June 9th: England v Ireland, Estadio El Coloso del Parque, 2pm; June 13th: Argentina v Ireland, Estadio El Coloso del Parque, 4pm