AMY PERRETT will make Super Rugby history this weekend by becoming the first female official appointed for a game.
The 25-year-old Australian, a full-time professional referee, will run the line during the Melbourne Rebels and South Africa’s Western Stormers clash in Melbourne on Saturday.
The northern hemisphere game has already had their first female match official when Irish referee Helen O’Reilly ran the line in Munster’s 47-0 Guinness Pro12 defeat of Zebre at Thomond Park in March.
And now Perrett is poised to follow suit on the other side of the world.
Perrett took charge of the 2014 Women’s Rugby World Cup final, which saw England defeat Canada in the Stade Jean-Bouin in Paris, and is one of Australia’s two representatives for the Rio Olympics.
She said: “I am really proud to be given this honour this weekend and I certainly hope this opens the door for more women to officiate the top level across rugby.
“I am just focused on doing my job to the best of my ability and will be joining a fantastic team of SANZAAR referees right across Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Argentina who referee Super Rugby week in and week out.”
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Perrett added on Twitter: “Thanks to everyone for the messages of support. I’m looking forward to getting on with the job this weekend.”
Australian Rugby Union’s head of referees Scott Young said he was ‘immensely proud’ of Perrett.
“We hope this will open up a clear pathway for women in our game who want to be a part of rugby from an officiating capacity knowing that (like Amy) they can make it to the top of our sport,” he said.
And Perrett admitted she holds no fears of taking charge of men, saying they are respectful when she referees them, adding: “I have found the higher I go up there is a greater respect.”
“Players, they just get on with the game at a high level, because they are fighting for their positions and they are far more professional.”
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