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Trailblazing female referee Neville to bow out in Women's Six Nations / Photo: © AFP
Trailblazing female referee Neville to bow out in Women's Six Nations
Ground-breaking Irish referee Joy Neville will make her final appearance before international retirement in this season's Women's Six Nations, it was announced Tuesday.
Neville was the first women to officiate at a men's Rugby World Cup when she served as a television match official during last year's tournament in France.
The 40-year-old oversaw five pool matches, including England's 34-12 victory over Japan in Nice.
Neville, who refereed the 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup final, announced in January she would be stepping down at the end of the current season and before taking up a new role as referee development manager in the Irish province of Connacht.
The 40-year-year-old former Ireland international will be in charge for France's match against Italy in Paris on April 14, World Rugby said in a statement.
Scottish referee Hollie Davidson, the first female official involved in a men's Six Nations match when she was a touch judge for England's 16-14 win over Wales at Twickenham last weekend, will be in charge of two games in the women's tournament.
N. Nilsson--BTZ
