The Irish rugby official Joy Neville will make history next month by becoming the first woman to referee a European professional club fixture.
2017 Rugby World Cup final, Black Ferns captain Fiao'o Faamausili, referee Joy Neville and England captain Sarah Hunter. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
She will take charge of the Challenge Cup, Round 4 match between French side Bordeaux and Russian club Enisei.
The former Ireland international, who won 70 caps for her country including a Six Nations Grand Slam in 2013, will go into the record books when she referees the Pool 1 game in France on December 15th.
Neville's is one of 40 referee appointments for Rounds 3 and 4 of the 2017/18 Champions Cup and Challenge Cup.
Neville has already been appointed as an assistant referee at Champions Cup, Challenge Cup, Continental Shield and Guinness PRO14 levels, and she also took charge of the Women's Rugby World Cup final between New Zealand and England in August.
In advance of her Challenge Cup debut, she will officiate as an assistant referee at the Barbarians v Tonga game at Thomond Park this weekend, and at the Spain v Canada and the France v Japan internationals later this month.
