Sara Cox

Sara Louise Cox (born 1990/91) is an English rugby union referee and former rugby union footballer. In 2016, she became the world's first professional female rugby union referee, and in 2018 she became the first female to referee a Premiership Rugby Cup match. On 25 September 2021, she became the first woman to referee a Premiership Rugby Union Match when she took centre field for a fixture between Harlequins and Worcester Warriors at the Stoop. Career As a player, Cox played rugby for Exeter, Saracens, Cullompton and Plymouth Albion, and had trials for England U-21. Aged 17, she decided to retire from playing the sport after an injury, and took up refereeing instead, initially part time, whilst also working for a waste management company. Cox officiated at the 2014 Women's Rugby World Cup in France. In 2016, she became the first female referee to be centrally contracted by the Rugby Football Union (RFU), and the world's first professional female rugby union referee. In the same year, she officiated the Women's Premiership final between Richmond and Saracens. Cox officiated at the rugby sevens event at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She was the only English referee at the tournament. In February 2017, Cox became the first female to referee a National League 1 match. In the same year, she was chosen by European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) to officiate in the men's Challenge Cup, and also officiated at the 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup in Ireland.