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Investec Champions Cup

EPCR statement: South African named as Champions Cup final referee

By Liam Heagney

09 May 2023

Referee Jaco Peyper speaks with England's Owen Farrell in March when he last refereed in Dublin (Photo By Harry Murphy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

History will be made at Aviva Stadium in Dublin on May 20 when Jaco Peyper becomes the first South African to referee an EPCR final. The official last month made his debut in the tournament when he took charge of the semi-final in Bordeaux featuring La Rochelle, the defending champions, and Exeter.

Having since officiated at last weekend’s Stormers-Bulls URC quarter-final, he has now been appointed for the showpiece Champions Cup decider in Ireland that will be contested by La Rochelle and Leinster.

It will be Peyper’s first appointment at Aviva Stadium since he red-carded England’s Freddie Steward at that venue during the Guinness Six Nations finale versus Ireland in March, a sending-off that was later rescinded.

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The appointment of Peyer for this latest La Rochelle versus Leinster knockout stage fixture contrasts with previous encounters between the teams when English officials refereed the 2022 final in Marseille and the 2021 semi-final in La Rochelle.

Wayne Barnes, who refereed last year’s Champions Cup final, has been appointed to take charge of the Challenge Cup decider featuring Glasgow Warriors and Toulon on May 19. Meanwhile, Matthew Carley, the 2021 La Rochelle-Leinster semi-final referee, won’t be involved on finals weekend on this occasion.

A statement read: “South Africa’s Jaco Peyper and Wayne Barnes of England will referee this season’s Heineken Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup finals respectively following the announcement of the match officials for the showpiece games who have been appointed by a selection committee chaired by the EPCR head of match officials, Tony Spreadbury.

“Peyper will make history by becoming the first South African official to referee an EPCR final when he takes charge of the Heineken Champions Cup decider between Leinster Rugby and holders Stade Rochelais, at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium on Saturday, May 20. His assistants will be the English duo, Karl Dickson and Christophe Ridley, with Tom Foley, also of England, as TMO and Beth Dickens (Scotland) as the match citing commissioner.

“The vastly experienced Barnes will be refereeing his sixth EPCR final following his appointment for the EPCR Challenge Cup clash of Glasgow Warriors v RC Toulon at the Aviva Stadium on Friday, May 19. He has previously taken charge of the 2012 and 2019 Challenge Cup deciding matches as well as three Heineken Champions Cup finals in 2010, 2018 and last season.

“Barnes will have Ireland’s Chris Busby and Craig Evans of Wales running the line with Ben Whitehouse (Wales) as TMO and Ciaran Scally (Ireland) as citing commissioner.

EPCR CHALLENGE CUP FINAL
Glasgow Warriors v RC Toulon
Friday, May 19 – Aviva Stadium, Dublin (20.00 local time)
Referee: Wayne Barnes (Eng); Assistant referees: Chris Busby (Ire), Craig Evans (Wal); TMO: Ben Whitehouse (Wal); Citing Commissioner: Ciaran Scally (Ire)

HEINEKEN CHAMPIONS CUP FINAL
Leinster Rugby v Stade Rochelais
Saturday, May 20 – Aviva Stadium, Dublin (16.45 local time)
Referee: Jaco Peyper (SA); Assistant referees: Karl Dickson (Eng), Christophe Ridley (Eng); TMO: Tom Foley (Eng); Citing Commissioner: Beth Dickens (Sco)

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Comments on RugbyPass

GrahamVF 16 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

There is a continued murmur in local circles about reciprocal bi annual tours between SA and Argentine. Whether it's full blooded test tours or development tours or a mixture - ie touring with a "test" 20 and a development 20 the cream of which will be used in tests. We actually really enjoy playing the Argies and I believe they enjoy playing us. It goes back seventy years to the Junior Bok tours to Argentine involving Isaac van Heerden.

157 Go to comments

GrahamVF 24 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

About 500K of those are schoolboys 90% of which will not go on to play club rugby.

157 Go to comments

GrahamVF 25 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Exactly. Shoo would that it was so easy to develop competitions.

157 Go to comments

GrahamVF 29 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

SA wealthy? Compared to which countries. The economy is in tatters unemployment is at record low numbers and you think SA has money to spend on rugby development -0 and remember the SARU was technically bankrupt and was only saved by the COVID tour of the B&I Lions. No Sa doesn't have spare cash lying round for rugby development and given the resources SARU is doing just fine.

157 Go to comments

GrahamVF 32 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

South African domestic rugby is in great shape. Four top tier franchises fed by a series of competitions ranging from national schools competitions through Varsity Cup to Currie Cup and then to top four franchises is a model Australia would do well to follow. SA should never have more than four top domestic teams.

157 Go to comments

GrahamVF 37 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

That might be the best spin off from SA's involvement north of the line.

157 Go to comments

GrahamVF 37 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Of course not Nick 😉

157 Go to comments

GrahamVF 41 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

We have our own theories about The Sharks. Plumtree is a good coach but he has not done anywhere near the best he could with the talent and money he has at his disposal and it doesn't help to have a marquee director of rugby who has spent by far the majority of his career playing and coaching sevens.

157 Go to comments

GrahamVF 46 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Don't worry - you'll win again soon then you'll feel a lot better. Right now get on with your SH comps and we'll get on with being barely the best in the world.

157 Go to comments

GrahamVF 49 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

JW you really have no idea of how Africa works. It will take generations not decades no matter how much SA puts into it. The poverty in Africa is something that is obviously beyond your understanding. Do you think the governments of impoverished nations are going to watch happily as rugby pours massive investments into infrastructure to promote what is essentially a white western game? And SA was trying hard to develop the game in Africa until the African vote blocked our "23 bid after the independent consultants to the RFU voted unanimously for SA? The Confederation of African Rugby virtually excluded South Africa.

157 Go to comments

GrahamVF 59 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Nick, our association with Argentina Rugby runs very long and deep. We are exploring reciprocal two/three test tours in the future - and even more games at neutral venues such as in Europe where a lot of both teams have players anyway.

157 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

"has SA actually EVER helped to develop another union to maturity like NZ has with Japan," yes - Argentina. You obviously don't know the history of Argentinian rugby. SA were touring there on long development tours in the 1950's

We continued the Junior Bok tours to the Argentine through to the early 70's

My coach at Grey High was Giepie Wentzel who toured Argentine as a fly half. He told me about how every Argentinian rugby club has pictures of Van Heerden and Danie Craven on prominent display. Yes we have developed a nation far more than NZ has done for Japan. And BTW Sa players were playing and coaching in Japan long before the Kiwis arrived. Fourie du Preez and many others were playing there 15 years ago.

"Isaac Van Heerden's reputation as an innovative coach had spread to Argentina, and he was invited to Buenos Aires to help the Pumas prepare for their first visit to South Africa in 1965.[1][2] Despite Argentina faring badly in this tour,[2] it was the start of a long and happy relationship between Van Heerden and the Pumas. Izak van Heerden took leave from his teaching post in Durban, relocated to Argentina, learnt fluent Spanish, and would revolutionise Argentine play in the late 1960s, laying the way open for great players such as Hugo Porta.[1][2] Van Heerden virtually invented the "tight loose" form of play, an area in which the Argentines would come to excel, and which would become a hallmark of their playing style. The Pumas repaid the initial debt, by beating the Junior Springboks at Ellis Park, and emerged as one of the better modern rugby nations, thanks largely to the talents of this Durban schoolmaster.[1]"

After the promise made by Junior Springbok manager JF Louw at the end of a 12-game tour to Argentina in 1959 – ‘I will do everything to ensure we invite you to tour our country’ – there were concerns about the strength of Argentinian rugby. South African Rugby Board president Danie Craven sent coach Izak van Heerden to help the Pumas prepare and they repaid the favour by beating the Junior Springboks at Ellis Park.

157 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Which country do you think was instrumental in developing rugby in Argentina which then spun off into the rest of Latin South America? South Africa was touring Argentine in the 50's with their Junior Bok side on three months development tours. And they didn't do it to cultivare players for the Boks. Regarding Africa you are not taking into account that South Africa itself is an emerging nation. The rugby union has prioritised the development of rugby in South African rural communities with outstanding success.

It has taken 15 years to build the participation of rugby both in playing and watching. For South Africa on its own to build a viable international rugby competition in africa will take generations - not decades. New Zealanders seem to resent the fact that SA has doubled the income of the URC since their inclusion. If New Zealand Rugby hadn't insisted on have a disproportionate slice of the pie in Super Rugby, SA might not have fled the coop.

157 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

I think this debate is avoiding the elephant in the room. Money. According to the URC chief executive Martin Anayi, the inclusion of SA teams has doubled the income of the URC. There is no doubt that the SA teams benefit from the URC but so do the other countries' teams. Perhaps it doesn't affect a club like Leinster but the less well off clubs benefit hugely from South African games' TV income. I don't think SA continued inclusion in the URC is a slam dunk. They don't hold all the cards by a long way - but they do have an ace in the hole. The Ace of Diamonds.

157 Go to comments

GrahamVF 2 hours ago

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