England’s Luke Pearce will be in the middle for one of the most high-profile Heineken Champions Cup matches of the season to date when he takes charge of the key Pool 1 clash of holders, Leinster Rugby, and Toulouse at the RDS on Saturday, 12 January next. Pearce’s is one of 40 referee appointments for Rounds 5 and 6 of the 2018/19 Heineken Champions Cup and Challenge Cup announced today by a selection committee chaired by Joel Jutge, EPCR’s Head of Match Officials. Click HERE for the referee appointments for Rounds 5 and 6 of the Heineken Champions Cup and Challenge Cup With prized places in the knockout stage of both tournaments on the line, Round 5 of the Heineken Champions Cup will kick off on Friday, 11 January with another compelling Pool 2 fixture pitting Gloucester Rugby against leaders, Munster Rugby, at Kingsholm which will be refereed by Romain Poite of France. England’s Matthew Carley has been appointed for what has all the makings of a Pool 4 showdown between Ulster Rugby and Racing 92 at the Kingspan Stadium on Saturday, 12 January, while on the same day, Wayne Barnes of England will take charge of the meeting between RC Toulon and Pool 5 front-runners, Edinburgh Rugby, at Stade Félix Mayol. The second instalment of Castres Olympique v Exeter Chiefs, who are both very much in the hunt to qualify from Pool 2, will be refereed by Ireland’s George Clancy at Stade Pierre Fabre on Sunday, 13 January. In Round 5 of the Challenge Cup, John Lacey of Ireland will be in the middle for the head-to-head between the top two in Pool 1, ASM Clermont Auvergne and Northampton Saints, at Stade Marcel-Michelin on Saturday, 12 January, while England’s Craig Maxwell-Keys has been appointed for the vital Pool 4 meeting of La Rochelle and Zebre Rugby Club at Stade Marcel Deflandre on Friday, 11 January. France’s Alexandre Ruiz will be in charge for the Pool 2 clash of the Ospreys and Worcester Warriors at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday, 12 January, and on the same day, Pierre Brousset also of France will referee yet another intriguing fixture between Pool 3 leaders, Sale Sharks, and second-placed, Connacht Rugby, at The Sportsground.