Alan Lewis today was appointed to referee the Heineken Cup final between Leicester Tigers and London Wasps at Twickenham Stadium on Sunday, 20 May.

It will be the 42-year-old Irish official's first Heineken Cup final but his third European final overall as he refereed the 2002 and 2005 European Challenge Cup finals.

"It is an absolute privilege to be entrusted with the Heineken Cup final," said the man who has also been named among the elite 12 referees for duty at Rugby World Cup 2007 in September.

He was in charge eight days ago when London Wasps beat Northampton Saints in the Heineken Cup semi-final at the Ricoh Arena and he has already taken charge of more European matches than any other referee.

"The final promises to be a very special occasion between two English teams for whom I have the greatest respect, being played at their national ground," he said.

"I have refereed both clubs twice this year - Leicester in the Heineken Cup quarter-finals and at Twickenham in the final of the EDF Energy Cup and Wasps in Heineken Cup matches in Round 6 and then the semi-finals."

His 55 matches in ERC tournaments include a tournament record 44 Heineken Cup matches as well as 11 European Challenge Cup matches following his European debut in the latter tournament when Gloucester played Bordeaux-Begles in 1996.

Now it is Euro match No 56 for the Irish referee who played to a senior level at school but, in his first season as a stand-off at the Old Wesley club, suffered a serious knee injury.

In related news, Nigel Owens has been appointed to referee the European Challenge Cup final between ASM Clermont Auvergne and Bath Rugby at Twickenham Stoop on Saturday, 19 May.

Owens, who will be taking charge of his first European final, made his international debut in Japan in 2005; made his Six Nations debut earlier this season when he controlled the England v Italy match at Twickenham and took charge of the Heineken Cup quarter-final between London Wasps and Leinster last month.

Owens, who has refereed 29 European matches, will follow up his Twickenham Stoop honour by being one of the elite 12 officials named for Rugby World Cup refereeing duty.

After the European Challenge Cup final the 35-year-old Pontyberem official will warm-up for the Rugby World Cup by refereeing his first Tri-Nations Test on 21 July, when New Zealand host Australia in Auckland in a Bledisloe Cup match and a week earlier he will be in Christchurch as a touch judge for the clash between the All Blacks and Springboks.

Owens will also see action in the World Cup warm-up matches in August when he runs the line in the two matches between England and France before controlling the game between Ireland and Italy at Ravenhill on 24 August.