Jones named first woman to referee in Super League

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 travelling on my way down to London to receive my MBE at Windsor Castle tomorrow so it’s a bit manic and I’m not in the office today.

“[Match officials general manager] Andy Smith asked me to jump on a Teams call and all the match officials coaches were on it.

“I actually thought I was in trouble. I wasn’t quite sure what they all wanted.

“But then they gave me the good news that they’ve appointed me to my first [men’s] Super League game this weekend, and I was just absolutely made up.”

Jones added: “Making the decision to retire from playing just over a year ago was a really hard one and something I initially struggled to come to terms with.

“The past 12 months or so since being a full-time official has really cemented for me that I have done the right thing.