Sara Cox hits her half century of test matches as referee

Two weeks ago, she hit another milestone as she took to the field in York to oversee the Japan v Spain game – making her the first female to referee 50 test matches.

Although she is breaking barriers – and acknowledges the significance of the achievement – Sara has seen the landmark as less of a personal achievement and more a celebration of the sport she loves.

In a recent interview with rugbywordcup.com Sara said: "When I first started, you got one, maybe two games every year, if you were really lucky, but it wasn't the norm to be appointed.

“To see that change and actually start to see the norm of people picking up three, four, five games a year, I think is testament to where the game is going.

"So, hopefully my 50th will be surpassed very quickly and it will go on to actually turn into 100 and beyond. I think that's where the game is moving at the moment."

Since Sara first qualified as a referee she has overseen games at every level.

She first stepped into the limelight on the international stage in 2014 when she oversaw a contest between Ireland and Italy. Since then she has never looked back having officiated both men’s and women’s rugby at the highest level.

Her rise up through the refereeing ranks has also made her an inspiration for young and aspiring referees joining the game.

When we spoke to Sara back in 2020 about her journey alongside our partners at the original ACME Whistle company, we also learnt about the woman behind the whistle where she told us about life outside rugby and on the golf course. She said:

“I’m not too bad at golf which tends to surprise people. A long time ago I was even heading down the route of training to become a professional golfer.”

On behalf of the whole team at RUCK, and ACME Whistles, we’d like to congratulate Sara on her landmark 50 international tests and wish her all the best for the next 50 to come!