Referee Tara Jones MBE has been awarded a Rugby League World Cup semi-final – just four years after playing in one.
She has been chosen to take charge of Saturday's clash between New Zealand and Samoa at Newcastle Knights' McDonald Jones Stadium after impressing during her first tournament officiating.
Jones, who is down under alongside fellow Super League referees Liam Moore and Chris Kendall, was in the middle for three group games: England v Wales, New Zealand v France and Fiji v France.
And now she has been given the main role as two sides battle it out for a place in the showpiece.
It is part of an amazing journey for the former St Helens hooker, who played for England in the 2022 World Cup semi-final against New Zealand in York before joining the RFL match officials department on a full-time basis two years ago.
Jones became the first woman to referee a Super League game in March and also received an MBE for services to the sport.
RFL match officials department general manager Andy Smith said: "Tara’s appointment to the finals stages of the World Cup is tremendous news both for her personally and for refereeing in this country.
"She has gone up against the very best referees in the world in this tournament.
"For the competition organisers to show the faith in her to referee in the knockout stages demonstrates what a high calibre of performances she has put together so far in this World Cup.
"The dedication she shows to her role have been rewarded both domestically and now internationally this season, and she is building a reputation as one of the world’s top officials.
"When you consider that Tara was a player in the semi-final of the last World Cup only four years ago, to complete the journey by being appointed to referee in one this time around - in such a short space of time - is truly remarkable.
"This sends a clear message to anybody who's even half thinking about taking up the whistle, about the opportunities that it can offer."
"On behalf of the Match Officials department, we are incredibly proud of the groundbreaking journey Tara has been on these last couple of years, and we will all be behind her and her team on Saturday."
