Sara Cox is set to officiate Gallagher Premiership champions Harlequins' first home game of the new campaign against Worcester at The Stoop; she last year became the first female assistant referee in English rugby's top tier
Tuesday 21 September 2021 09:01, UK
Sara Cox will make history this weekend as the first woman to referee a Gallagher Premiership game.
Having become the first female referee to be centrally contracted by the Rugby Football Union in 2016, she last year became the first female assistant referee in English rugby's top tier.
Cox will break new ground this weekend when she becomes the first woman to take charge of a Gallagher Premiership league game.
She will officiate at Premiership champions Harlequins' first home game of the season against Worcester at the Twickenham Stoop on Saturday.
Premiership Rugby posted on Twitter: "Huge congratulations to @SaraCoxRef.
"She'll become the first woman to referee a #GallagherPrem league game on Saturday. Continually making history."
Harlequins made a winning start to their Gallagher Premiership title defence as an enthralling game at Kingston Park saw them edge Newcastle Falcons 26-20.
Both sides played fast, free-flowing rugby but Quins - with Tommy Allan doing his best Marcus Smith impression to pull the strings from number 10 - were able to cross the whitewash four times to Newcastle's three and head back to London with all five points.