Dickson’s selection for the Pool B clash, live on BT Sport, with additional free-to-air coverage on Channel 4 and Virgin Media on Saturday, 11 December, is one of 36 referee appointments for Rounds 1 and 2 of the 2021/22 Heineken Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup which have been announced by a committee chaired by Tony Spreadbury, EPCR’s recently-appointed Head of Match Officials.

Click HERE for the referee appointments for Rounds 1 and 2 of the 2021/22 Heineken Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup

Also on Saturday, 11 December, Pierre Brousset of France will be in the middle when old rivals, Leinster Rugby and Bath Rugby, go head-to-head in Pool A at the Aviva Stadium while England’s Wayne Barnes will referee what promises to be another hugely-competitive Pool A confrontation between ASM Clermont Auvergne and Ulster Rugby at Stade Marcel-Michelin.

The following day’s contest between last season’s defeated finalists, Stade Rochelais, and Glasgow Warriors at Stade Marcel-Deflandre will be refereed by Matthew Carley of England, and Wasps and Munster Rugby will have France’s Romain Poite in the middle when they meet at the Coventry Building Society Arena.

Four officials will be taking charge of their first Heineken Champions Cup fixtures with Craig Evans of Wales, Italy’s Andrea Piardi and Nika Amashukeli of Georgia appointed in Round 1 for Exeter Chiefs v Montpellier Hérault Rugby, Ospreys v Sale Sharks and Castres Olympique v Harlequins respectively, while in Round 2, France’s Tual Trainini will referee the Pool B tie between Harlequins and Cardiff Rugby.

The new Heineken Champions Cup season gets underway on Friday, 10 December at the cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens where Mike Adamson of Scotland will be in charge of Northampton Saints’ clash with Racing 92 in Pool A.

The EPCR Challenge Cup, which starts with 15 clubs before moving to an expanded knockout stage, also kicks off on Friday, 10 December with Ireland’s Frank Murphy set to referee the Pool A fixture between Newcastle Falcons and Worcester Warriors at Kingston Park while Gianluca Gnecchi of Italy will be in the middle for Lyon v Gloucester Rugby in Pool B at the Matmut Stadium de Gerland on the same evening.

This season’s Heineken Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup silverware will be decided in Marseille when the finals are staged at the Stade Vélodrome on 27 and 28 May 2022.

England’s Karl Dickson will be in charge when five-time winners, Stade Toulousain, begin their Heineken Champions Cup defence against Cardiff Rugby at Cardiff Arms Park next month.