TARA Jones already holds a piece of rugby league history – and now she is about to make some more.
The Warringtonian is about to become the first woman to referee a senior professional rugby league fixture in the northern hemisphere having been appointed to take charge of a Betfred League One fixture.
The 27-year-old from Penketh will be in the middle for Oldham’s clash with Cornwall at Boundary Park on Sunday having already carved out a successful playing career alongside her officiating, playing at the highest level as a hooker for both St Helens and England.
Indeed, she already holds the distinction of being the first woman to score a Challenge Cup Final try at Wembley Stadium having opened the scoring for Saints in last year’s final win over Leeds Rhinos.
“Tara has earned this opportunity after years of steady development as a match official through the community game and as a regular touch judge and in-goal judge for professional matches,” the RFL’s head of match officials Phil Bentham said.
“She has received high-profile appointments in a number of competitions, including this season’s Betfred Challenge Cup, and has impressed everyone with the way she has performed – earning the respect of players, coaches and her fellow match officials.”
Jones, who started playing junior rugby league at Crosfields, became the first woman to be an on-field official in a men’s Super League match back in 2018 when she was an in-goal judge for Wigan Warriors vs Wakefield Trinity in March 2018.
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