Leinster will hope to defend their Heineken Cup title once again this season © Getty Images

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Tournaments/Tours: Amlin Challenge Cup | Heineken Cup

Teams: England | France | Ireland | Scotland | Wales

Referees in the Heineken and Amlin Cups will adhere to the new law trials this season.

The officials will follow the guidelines which are currently in operation in the Aviva Premiership, Top 14 and RaboDirect PRO12 competitions, including the new scrum engagement sequence and five seconds to play the ball at the base of the ruck following the referees call.

However television match officials will not us the protocol being trialled in the Aviva Premiership but continue with existing IRB guidelines. Officials have been told to crack down on the tackle area, scrutinising offsides and sealing off, the contest at the maul and the scrum engagement sequence.

The ERC also confirmed the referees for the first and second round of matches in the Heineken and Amlin Cups.

ROUND 1

FRIDAY, 12 OCTOBER

Pool 2 Ospreys v Benetton Treviso - N Paterson (Sco)
Pool 4 Ulster Rugby v Castres Olympique - A Small (Eng)

SATURDAY, 13 OCTOBER

Pool 1 Edinburgh Rugby v Saracens - J Lacey (Ire)
Pool 1 Racing Metro 92 v Munster Rugby - G Garner (Eng)
Pool 3 Zebre v Connacht Rugby - L Hodges (Wal)
Pool 5 Leinster Rugby v Exeter Chiefs - P Gauzere (Fra)
Pool 5 ASM Clermont Auvergne v Scarlets - P Fitzgibbon (Ire)
Pool 3 Harlequins v Biarritz Olympique - G Clancy (Ire)

SUNDAY, 14 OCTOBER

Pool 4 Northampton Saints v Glasgow Warriors - R Poite (Fra)
Pool 6 Sale Sharks v Cardiff Blues - J Garces (Fra)
Pool 2 Toulouse v Leicester Tigers - N Owens (Wal)
Pool 6 Toulon v Montpellier - W Barnes (Eng)

ROUND 2

FRIDAY, 19 OCTOBER

Pool 4 Glasgow Warriors v Ulster Rugby - M Raynal (Fra)
Pool 4 Castres Olympique v Northampton Saints - A Rolland (Ire)

SATURDAY, 20 OCTOBER

Pool 5 Scarlets v Leinster Rugby - G Garner (Eng)
Pool 2 Benetton Treviso v Toulouse - L Hodges (Wal)
Pool 1 Saracens v Racing Metro 92 - N Owens (Wal)
Pool 3 Connacht Rugby v Harlequins - J Garces (Fra)
Pool 5 Exeter Chiefs v ASM Clermont Auvergne - J Lacey (Ire)
Pool 3 Biarritz Olympique v Zebre - D Phillips (Ire)

SUNDAY, 21 OCTOBER

Pool 1 Munster Rugby v Edinburgh Rugby - W Barnes (Eng)
Pool 6 Cardiff Blues v Toulon - G Clancy (Ire)
Pool 2 Leicester Tigers v Ospreys - R Poite (Fra)
Pool 6 Montpellier v Sale Sharks - N Paterson (Sco)