Owens to ref Reds’ Sale clash

NIGEL Owens will referee Munster’s Heineken Cup clash with Sale Sharks at Thomond Park on January 16.

While this will be Owens’ 37th match in the tournament, Chris White edges closer to the half century mark when he takes charge of his 48th game — Leinster’s showdown with Edinburgh at the RDS on January 25.

Alan Lewis (Ireland) is out on his own as the first 50-match official and will take his tally to 57 when he controls the big Pool 6 showdown between Gloucester and Cardiff at Kingsholm.

Meanwhile the Ireland U20s got a rude awakening when they were slammed 39-7 by a vastly superior Leinster Development XV at Donnybrook yesterday. Ireland will have to show a distinct improvement in the Six Nations, starting at home to France on the first weekend in February, as they conceded tries to hooker Jason Harris-Wright, prop Ruaidhri Murphy, number eight Michael Noone, wings Niall Morris and Shane Monahan and full-back Felix Jones in what was another impressive example of Leinster’s strength-in-depth.