Aboyne rugby referee Hollie Davidson will make history next month when she becomes the first female to officiate a men’s Six Nations team in a test match.
Davidson will referee two men’s international fixtures over the summer, with the history-making match being Portugal v Italy on June 25, followed by Canada v Belgium on July 2.
She will form part of an all-female officiating team for the test between Portugal and Italy, with Sara Cox (England) and Aurélie Groizeleau (France) as her assistant referees, and Claire Hodnett (England) as the Television Match Official (TMO).
Davidson said of the history-breaking achievement: “To be the first woman to referee a men’s Six Nations team is a tremendous honour and an achievement I am proud of.
“I have been happy with my progress in the last couple of years and working as a full-time professional referee with Scottish Rugby has really helped that.
“I couldn’t believe it when I heard the news as I didn’t think something like this would have happened so quickly in my career but I’m really proud and looking forward to the summer.
“In the last year I have been fortunate to have been refereed high profile fixtures in both the men’s and women’s game which will act as great preparation going into the summer for these two matches.”
A refereeing trailblazer
Making rugby history is not unfamiliar to Davidson, who became the first female referee contracted to Scottish rugby in 2017, and has gone on to officiate in several high-profile games.
The former Aboyne Academy pupil has already refereed one men’s international test, having taken charge of Malta’s 37-10 defeat of Cyprus in the Rugby Europe Conference 1 South in March 2019.
In January 2021, she refereed her first professional men’s game, when she took charge of Newcastle Falcons v Castres in the Challenge Cup, while in April last year, she was named as one of the referees for the rugby sevens at the Tokyo Olympics.
Hear from Hollie Davidson as she shares her journey from player to referee, having today been confirmed as the first female match official to referee a match involving a team from the men’s Six Nations.#AsOne pic.twitter.com/NAZDlMCITL
— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) May 30, 2022
Davidson has officiated three matches in United Rugby Championship this season, most recently Glasgow v Edinburgh in March, and will be on duty at the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand later this year.
Before turning her hand to officiating in 2015, Davidson was a promising player who played at scrum-half for Murrayfield Wanderers and represented Scotland U20’s between 2010-2012.
She started playing rugby as a school pupil in Aboyne, progressing through the regional pathway and later played at Edinburgh University, while studying for a degree in economic history.
Appointment praised
Scottish Rugby’s performance director Jim Mallinder was delighted to see Davidson selected to officiate the match.
He said: “Hollie is a pioneer for female refereeing in Scotland and to make history by becoming the first woman to officiate a men’s match including a Tier 1 country is an incredible achievement.
“Hollie’s two appointments this summer are a testament to the effort she has put in so far in her refereeing career.
“She has refereed well this season building up experiences of taking charge of high profile matches such as the 1872 derby match recently. All of those matches will stand her in great stead as she marks another impressive milestone in her career.”
The appointment was also praised by former Scotland captain John Barclay.
He told the Daily Mail: “I am delighted for her.
“Hollie refereed me in a couple of games and it never bothered me she was a woman and it shouldn’t bother anybody.
“I think if you are good enough to officiate the game then so be it.
“I have seen her refereeing and she is top class.”