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| Born | 1990 or 1991 (age 34–35)[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Occupation | Rugby union referee | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Sara Louise Cox[2]MBE is an Englishrugby unionreferee 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 woman to referee aPremiership Rugby Cup[3] 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.[4]
As a player, Cox played rugby for Exeter Saracens RFC, 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,[1][5] initially part time, whilst also working for awaste management company.[6]
Cox officiated at the2014 Women's Rugby World Cup in France.[7] In 2016, she became the first female referee to be centrally contracted by theRugby Football Union (RFU), and the world's first professional female rugby union referee.[1][6][3] In the same year, she officiated theWomen's Premiership final betweenRichmond andSaracens.[8][9] Cox officiated at therugby sevens event at the2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.[1][10] She was the only English referee at the tournament.[11]
In February 2017, Cox became the first female to referee aNational League 1 match.[12] In the same year, she was chosen byEuropean Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) to officiate in the men'sChallenge Cup,[9] and also officiated at the2017 Women's Rugby World Cup in Ireland.[7]
In March 2018, Cox became the first female to referee aRFU Championship match, when she officiated a match betweenCornish Pirates andDoncaster Knights.[5][3][12] She officiated at therugby sevens event at the2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia.[10] In November 2018, Cox became the first female to referee a match between twoPremiership Rugby teams, when she officiated aPremiership Rugby Cup fixture betweenNorthampton Saints andWasps at theRicoh Arena inCoventry.[12][13][14] She was also selected as an assistant referee for November 2018 men's internationals betweenHong Kong andGermany, and betweenKenya and Germany. This was the first time that Cox had officiated in a men's international match.[15] In the same month, she officiated a women's international match betweenFrance andNew Zealand.[13]
In August 2020, Cox became the first woman to officiate a Premiership Rugby league match, when she was one ofWayne Barnes' assistants for a fixture betweenBath and Wasps.[16][17] In May 2021, she officiated the2020–21 Premier 15s Final.[18]
On 25 September 2021, Sara Cox became the first woman to referee a Premiership Rugby League Match when she took centre field for a fixture between Harlequins and Worcester Warriors at the Stoop.[4] She had previously been selected as main official for a June 2021 fixture between Worcester and Gloucester, but that match was cancelled due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[19]
In May 2022, Cox was selected as a referee for the delayed2021 Rugby World Cup.[20]
Cox was appointedMember of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the2023 Birthday Honours for services to rugby union football.[21]
