Ireland’s Joy Neville is set to become the first woman to officiate at a men’s Rugby World Cup.
Neville is a former captain of Ireland’s women’s team, and has been named as one of the World Cup’s television match officials. The tournament is due to take place in France later this year.
She was selected among a group of 26 match officials for the men’s World Cup, becoming the only – and first ever – woman in the officiating group. As a television match official, Neville will be tasked with watching games on a screen, with multiple camera angles, to assist the match referee.
Neville is a trailblazer for women in refereeing, previously being the first woman to be appointed as a television match official for a men’s Test match in 2020.
In 2017, Neveille refereed the women’s World Cup final between England and New Zealand.
Neville came to refereeing after a successful career as an Irish International player, representing Ireland at both the 2006 and 2010 Women’s Rugby World Cups.