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Joy Neville to make history as first woman to officiate at men’s Rugby World Cup
Joy Neville makes history having been named on the 2023 Rugby World Cup match official team, the first female referee to do so
Joy Neville has been named on the 2023 Rugby World Cup match official team, making history as the first female named on a match official panel for a men’s Rugby World Cup
Legend of Ireland women’s rugby union and currently a referee in the sport, Limerick’s Joy Neville will make more history at this year’s Rugby World Cup (RWC) as she is to become the first woman to officiate in an RWC match.
Neville was named among the TMOs who will officiate at the world cup later this year.
Having played rugby from a young age Neville went on to represent Ireland at two world cups in 2006 and again in 2010, and in 2009 was captain of the Ireland team which was the first to defeat France. The Limerick legend then went on to represent Ireland in the six nations in 2013, the first Ireland womens’ Team to win the competition, Grand Slam, and Triple Crown.
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Having won 70 caps for her country, Neville announced her retirement in 2013, the year of the historical Grand Slam win, ending her highly decorated career as a player. In her refereeing career Neville has officiated in the Women’s Six Nations Championship, Women’s World Rugby Sevens Series, and the Women’s Rugby World Cup, as well as the 2017 final between England and New Zealand in Belfast’s Kingspan Stadium.
Neville joins three other Irish-representatives at the RWC with referee Andrew Brace, Assistant Referee, Chris Busby, and fellow TMO Brian MacNeice.
The historical appointment of Joy Neville will be one in a line of firsts for the Limerick referee and for the game of Rugby. In 2016 was made the first woman to officiate in a professional European rugby match as she served as an assistant referee for the European Rugby Challenge Cup game between Bath and Bristol.
The same year she became the first woman to take charge in Ireland, Wales, and Italy’s national leagues among other competitions including the British and Irish Cup and the Pro14. In 2017 Neville was named World Rugby Referee of the Year.
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