RFL confirm appointment of new full-time match official as playing career ends
The RFL will have a new full-time match official in 2025, with Tara Jones joining the setup. The 28-year-old refereed her first League 1 match earlier this season and was a touch judge in a number of Super League fixtures.
Jones has combined her refereeing duties with her playing career at both St Helens and England Women, with 14 caps to her name. However, she will now retire from playing to take up a full-time position with the RFL.
Jones broke the news to her Saints team-mates ahead of the Women's Grand Final defeat to York Valkyrie on Sunday. The Valkyrie were 18-8 winners at the Totally Wicked Stadium, completing back-to-back titles, a first in the Women's Super League era.
Explaining her roles with the sport's governing body, Phil Betham, the RFL’s Head of Match Officials, said: "I’m delighted that Tara will be joining our full-time match officials squad for the 2025 season. It’s been a big decision for her to retire from a fantastic club and international playing career after this weekend’s Women’s Super League Grand Final.
"She’s had a brilliant season as a match official, becoming the first female official to referee men’s League 1 and touch judge men’s Super League. This significant appointment will see Tara become the first woman to join our full-time squad, since its inception in 2006.
"She will combine her full-time role with work as an ambassador for female officials, primarily focusing on the recruitment and development of a new cohort. We have seen massive growth in the women's game, and it's vital that we see similar growth in our pool of women officials."
Stuart Barrow, the Head Coach of England Women, added: "Tara has been an outstanding player for club and country, at such an exciting time for women’s rugby league —and she was an integral part of our 2022 World Cup campaign.
"It has taken remarkable dedication and commitment to combine that with her development as a match official. With those qualities, all of us in the England Women set-up look forward to watching her develop as a member of the full-time match officials squad and as an outstanding role model for women and girls in the sport."
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