Andrea Piardi becomes first Italian to take charge of URC Final

HISTORY: Andrea Piardi becomes first Italian to take charge of URC Final. Pic: ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo

Italy’s Andrea Piardi will take charge of Munster’s BKT URC Grand Final against the Stormers in Cape Town, the first Italian match official to referee a league decider.

Piardi reffed Munster in their away play-off quarter-final victory over Glasgow Warriors on May 6 and sent off home fly-half Tom Jordan for the dangerous tackle which ruled Conor Murray out of the following week’s semi-final against Leinster.

Murray has been passed fit to travel with Graham Rowntree’s squad, which was due to leave Dublin for South Africa on Monday, having completed his return to play protocols following his removal for a Head Injury Assessment Piardi, 30, was earlier this month named on the match officials team for this September’s Rugby World Cup in France, having made his league debut at Cork’s Musgrave Park when Munster hosted the Southern Kings in February 2019.

His team of officials will consist of assistants Mike Adamson and Craig Evans of Scotland and Wales respectively with another Welshman, Ben Whitehouse, appointed as Television Match Official.