White makes it hat-trick of Heineken finals

CHRIS WHITE will become the first referee to take charge of three Heineken Cup finals when he controls Munster’s match with Biarritz Olympique at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, on Saturday, May 20 (3pm).

The 42-year-old former junior school teacher from Cheltenham has the honour of doing back-to-back Heineken Cup finals — he was in the middle at Murrayfield last year when Toulouse beat Stade Francais Paris in extra time — and also refereed the previous all-French final between Toulouse and Perpignan in Dublin in 2003.

White has refereed 36 Heineken Cup games and 35 full internationals — most recently France’s Grand Slam clinching win over Wales at the Millennium Stadium in March. The other match officials for the 11th Heineken Cup final will be Dave Pearson and Tony Spreadbury (both England).