Tara Jones will become the first woman to take charge of a men’s Super League game after being appointed to referee Saturday’s match between Wigan Warriors and Huddersfield Giants.
The 29-year-old refereed her first Challenge Cup game back in 2018 and was appointed to the Rugby Football League [RFL] group of full-time match officials at the end of 2024.
In March 2018, Jones became the first female on-field match official in the men’s Super League as an in-goal judge as Wigan defeated Wakefield 30-18 at the Brick Community Stadium.
Earlier this season, she became the first woman to referee a game involving a men’s Super League side, taking charge of Wakefield’s 82-6 victory at Swinton Lions in the Challenge Cup.
A former England and St Helens hooker, Jones stepped down from playing duties in 2024 to become a full-time referee following Saints’ defeat by York Valkyrie in that year’s Women’s Super League Grand Final.
She was made an MBE for services to rugby league, as a referee, in the 2026 New Year’s Honours list – an award she will officially receive on Tuesday.
“I was a bit shocked when I found out,” Jones told the RFL about her weekend assignment.
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