Match Official appointments confirmed for WXV 2024 and warm-up matches

• Match official appointed for first two rounds of WXV action on three continents in September and October
• A total of 18 match official representing 11 nations will take charge of matches
• Ten officials to take charge of warm-up matches across August and September
• Aimee Barrett-Theron (South Africa) and Sara Cox (England) to become first women to referee to 40 tests in September
• Match official profiles are available in the World Rugby Media Zone

Appointments have been made for the first two rounds in each level of WXV, World Rugby’s global international women’s 15s competition, with each of the six referees on the respective panels to take charge of one match.

Appointment highlights:

• Aimee Barrett-Theron (South Africa) will become the first female to referee 40 tests when she takes charge of England v New Zealand at Twickenham on 14 September
• Sara Cox (England) will join her on the milestone six days later when she referees Wales v Australia in Newport
• Ella Goldsmith to referee the first of 10 warm-up matches, Japan v USA in Kitakyushu on 11 August, with compatriot Jess Ling in charge of the second match six days later in Shizuoka
• Shanda Assmus (Canada) and Zoe Naude (South Africa) set to make their test debuts as referees
• Six referees will make their WXV debuts in 2024 with Julianne Zussman (Canada) in WXV 1, Zoe Naude (South Africa) in WXV 2 and Assmus, Mélissa Leboeuf (France), Ling and Tyler Miller (Australia)
• Four referees included who officiated at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, including Kat Roche (USA) who took charge of the women’s gold medal match between New Zealand and Canada at Stade de France on Tuesday
• Roche and Maggie Cogger-Orr (New Zealand) will join Barrett-Theron, Cox, Aurélie Groizeleau (France) and Zussman on the WXV 1 panel
• Maria Latos (Germany) is joined in WXV 2 by Goldsmith, Amelia Luciano (USA), Clara Munarini (Italy), Naude and Precious Pazani (Zimbabwe)
• Finally, Miller is joined by Assmus, Natarsha Ganley (New Zealand), Leboeuf, Ling and Holly Wood (England) on the WXV 3 panel.
• Maria Latos has the honour of refereeing the opening WXV 2024 match with WXV 2 hosts South Africa against Japan at DHL Stadium in Cape Town on 27 September.
• Mélissa Leboeuf will take charge of the first WXV 3 match at The Sevens in Dubai on 27 September
• Aurélie Groizeleau will referee the opening WXV 1 match between USA and defending champions England at BC Place in Vancouver on 29 September.

With little more than a year to go until Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 in England, World Rugby has reimagined its match officials’ strategy to ensure that the people, pathways and processes are in place to increase the global reach and depth of international-quality match officials.

WXV 2024 will see that strategy in action with one member of the new Women’s Emirates World Rugby High Performance Match Officials structure on site at each level to work with the panels. Alhambra Nievas, World Rugby Elite Women’s Match Officials Manager, will be in Vancouver with Women’s 15s Elite Head Coach Joy Neville in Cape Town and Amy Perrett, Women’s Pathway Development Coach in Dubai.

Women’s World Rugby High Performance Match Officials Selectors Chair Su Carty said: “In line with the new strategy for match officials, the expanded international calendar presents an important opportunity to drive forward standards in tandem with providing exposure for a wider group of match officials to our premier competitions, vital to expanding the talent pool. This will enable us to build towards Rugby World Cup England 2025 and beyond. Congratulations to all selected.”

Nievas added: “This represents the biggest selection of match officials for a very busy period of world class matches, including WXV. On the road to Rugby World Cup England 2025, we are continuing to focus on clear and consistent decision-making, working with the teams to buy-into the philosophy that will aid exciting matches to play in and watch. We have a very talented team who work hard to be the best versions of themselves and I look forward to seeing them all in action on the year’s biggest women’s fifteens stage.”

Appointments for the final round of matches in each level will be following the conclusion of round two.

For more information on WXV, visit the official website at www.wxvrugby.com.

WXV is supported by partners Mastercard, Capgemini, Gallagher, Mitsubishi and ChildFund Rugby with World Rugby also injecting multi-million pound investment over an initial two-year period on the road to Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 in England.