IRELAND’S JOY NEVILLE has made more rugby history by being the first woman appointed as television match official [TMO] in a major international competition.
Neville will be on TMO duty for Wales versus Georgia and Scotland against Fiji in the upcoming Autumn Nations Cup, which kicks off in November.
Former Ireland international player Neville has risen through the refereeing ranks in recent years and was named World Rugby Referee of the Year in 2017.
Neville has also been appointed to referee the November Test between France Women and England Women on 14 November, as well as the rescheduled Women’s Six Nations game between Italy and Scotland in Parma on 6 December, when the IRFU’s Olly Hodges will be her TMO.
Meanwhile, Welshman Nigel Owens is set to become the first person to take charge of 100 Test matches when he referees France against Italy in the Autumn Nations Cup in November.
49-year-old Owens made his Test debut back in 2003 and went on to become one of the leading officials in the sport, refereeing the 2015 World Cup final between New Zealand and Australia.
Owens will take charge of the Champions Cup semi-final clash between Racing 92 and Saracens this Saturday as he continues to get big match appointments.
The IRFU’s Andrew Brace has been picked to referee the rescheduled 2020 Six Nations clash between Wales and Scotland at Parc y Scarlets on 31 October, while he will also be in charge of Scotland versus Fiji in the Autumn Nations Cup on 28 November, when Neville will be his TMO.
Frank Murphy has been appointed assistant referee for the October Test between France and Wales on 24 October in Paris, and the Autumn Nations Cup fixture between Wales and Georgia in Parc y Scarlets on 21 November – when Brace will be the other assistant.
Brian MacNeice will be on TMO duty for France against Wales on 24 October and then the Wales versus England clash in the Autumn Nations Cup on 28 November.
As for Andy Farrell’s Ireland, their rescheduled Six Nations clash against Italy in Dublin on 24 October will be refereed by Matthew Carley of the RFU, with Wayne Barnes in charge of their championship finale against France in Paris the following weekend on 31 October.
Their Autumn Nations Cup games against Wales, England, and Georgia will be refereed by Mathieu Raynal, Pascal Gaüzère, and Raynal, respectively.
To view the full list of match official appointments for the autumn, click here.
