IS Ltime of the referees. Not just ai Qatar Soccer World Cup, from 21 November to 18 December, but also for directing the rugby match between the Azzurri and Portugal which will be played on 25 June in Lisbon.
Referees: first time in the history of rugby
For the first time in oval history a match starring a men’s team of the Six Nations will be managed by an all-female referee team.
World Rugby confirmed that the Scottish Hollie Davidson will be the referee of the test match scheduled at the Estadio do Restelo: and she will lead the group made up of Sara Cox And Aurelie Groizeleau, his assistant referees, e Claire Hodnett Television Match Official. But that’s not all, because the athlete he will also referee the match between Canada and Belgium, scheduled in Halifax on 2 July.
Hollie Davidson shows Newcastle Falcons’ Will Welch a yellow card during the friendly match between Glasgow Warriors and Newcastle Falcons at Scotstoun Stadium
Davidson: “I can’t wait to take the field”
“It’s a great honor, an achievement I’m proud of,” said Davidson, 29. Former scrum half of the Murrayfield Wanderers team, with a career interrupted due to a shoulder injury, Davidson became her country’s first professional female referee in 2017.
A year later he made his debut in the then men’s Pro14 as an assistant to the match between Glasgow Warriors and the Zebre di Parma. “When they told me, I couldn’t believe it: I didn’t really think it would happen so soon. I can’t wait to take the field ».
A career on the rise
In his career as a referee, the athlete has directed several matches of the Women’s 7 World Cup and the his first men’s test in 2019, in the match of Rugby Europe, Malta – Cyprus. This season, however, you have already refereed 3 matches in the United Rugby Championship and France-England of the Women’s Six Nations 2022.
Competent and very well prepared: the coaches who saw her in action praised her calm direction and perfect communication with players before matches.
“Congratulations to Hollie, Sara, Aurélie and Claire for this historic event, “said the World Rugby President, Sir Bill Beaumont. “The announcement indicates the strong development of the women’s refereeing sector and the multiplicity of paths available for women who intend to be part of the Game”.
Women referees, the others in the group
The referee group, however, is also made up of linesmen Sara Cox32-year-old Englishwoman, the first woman to referee a men’s Premiership match.
And the French one Aurelie Groizeleau, now 33, whose promising playing career was cut short at 19 due to injury. She began refereeing at the age of 21 and has led several men’s Top 14 matches.
The Tmo, the Television Match Official, is Claire Hodnett, Children’s rights attorney and referee from Shrewsbury, with two Women’s World Cups behind her.
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