JOY NEVILLE HAS been named on the refereeing panel for this year’s Rugby World Cup.

The IRFU official is among an all-female team of referees, which will lead an 18-strong contingent of match officials in New Zealand.

Nine referees, five assistant referees and four TMOs, selected from 11 different Unions, will officiate the 26 matches.

Limerick native Neville, who refereed the 2017 Rugby World Cup final on these shores, is selected for her second tournament alongside Aimee Barrett-Theron of South Africa.

“I’d like to congratulate Joy on her appointment to the RWC Referee Panel,” IRFU Head of Referees Dudley Phillips said.

“This will be her second World Cup and having recently returned from maternity leave, it is testament to her drive and hard work that she has been selected.

“Joy has been and continues to be a leader in Women’s rugby as a player and as a referee, and this is a hugely deserved honour.”

Greg McWilliams Ireland will not feature at the tournament, though the nation will be represented on the biggest stage by Neville, who has broken plenty of new ground and etched her name into history time and time again through the years.

The World Cup runs from 8 October to 12 November 12, 2022 — although still under the 2021 title after last year’s postponement — with the women’s edition being staged in the Southern Hemisphere for the first time.

The RWC 2021 Match Officials Team

Referees: Aimee Barrett-Theron (South Africa), Maggie Cogger-Orr (New Zealand), Sara Cox (England), Hollie Davidson (Scotland), Aurélie Groizeleau (France), Lauren Jenner (New Zealand), Clara Munarini (Italy), Amber McLachlan (Australia) and Joy Neville (Ireland)

Assistant Referees: Doriane Domenjo (France), Tyler Miller (Australia), Nikki O’Donnell (England), Kat Roche (USA) and Julianne Zussman (Canada)

TMOs: Chris Assmus (Canada), Lee Jeffrey (New Zealand), Ian Tempest (England) and Ben Whitehouse (Wales).