Peter O'Mahony set for reunion with Wayne Barnes

Peter O'Mahony leaves the pitch having being shown a red card by Wayne Barnes during the Guinness Six Nations Rugby Championship game against Wales at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. Photo by Ben Evans/Sportsfile

Wayne Barnes, the referee who red carded Peter O'Mahony in Ireland's opening Six Nations defeat to Wales, will take charge of Munster's Heineken European Championship Cup game against Toulouse at Thomond Park on April 3rd. 

The English official gave O'Mahony his marching orders after 14 minutes of Ireland's 21-16 loss
for his attempted clearout on Welsh prop Tom Francis. 

In his conversation with the TMO, Barnes said: "It's definitely foul play. He's come from a distance at high speed and has hit someone in the head. That's the facts. He's not in control. It's high danger. That's the facts. Does anyone disagree with that? So the sanction is, red card."

The 31-year-old was given a six-week ban, which was reduced by 50 per cent in mitigation, ruling him out of Ireland's games against France, Italy and Scotland.

O'Mahony is named among the replacements of Ireland's game against England at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.

The Heineken Champions Cup Round of 16 gets underway on Friday, April 1 with the eagerly-awaited confrontation at the RDS Arena between two European heavyweights, Leinster Rugby and Toulon, which will have England’s Matthew Carley in the middle.

Two Irish officials will also be taking charge of games: Frank Murphy has been appointed for the meeting of Wasps and ASM Clermont Auvergne at the Ricoh Arena while Andrew Brace has the whistle for the tie between Gloucester v La Rochelle tie.]

In the Challenge Cup the ties involving Irish provinces - Leicester Tigers v Connacht and Harlequins v Ulster - will be refereed by Pascal Gauzère and Romain Poite of France.