Meet Scottish rugby’s first female referee
WITH a degree in economics and a job in the City, Hollie Davidson has always blown the whistle on male-dominated occupations.
And her ambition to create a level playing field between the sexes now extends to the most macho of sports, as she is Scottish Rugby’s first female professional referee.
Miss Davidson will now be fasttracked through training that could eventually see her taking charge of men’s Test matches, including Six Nations and World Cup games.
The 24-year-old former Scotland Women U20 cap switched to officiating after injury forced her to hang up her boots with Edinburgh women’s side Murrayfield Wanderers.
She made her international debut on the men’s World Rugby HSBC Sevens circuit this year and had no problems keeping order.
Miss Davidson said: ‘Male players almost feel a bit like, there’s a woman on the park, they have to be a bit more courteous.
‘I guess it’s good for the game that they’re being courteous but it should be no different if it was a guy refereeing.’
Miss Davidson played with her school team at Aboyne Academy in Aberdeenshire and then as a student for Edinburgh University.
She said: ‘I was one of those nines and tens who gave the ref some gyp. I did two seasons at Scotland under20s, then the summer I graduated to the senior set-up, I dislocated my shoulder again the week before I was supposed win my first cap.
‘I saw rugby sevens was an Olympic sport and decided to give refereeing a go.’
Dave Pearson, Scottish Rugby’s high performance referees manager, said: ‘If you played as an inside back, a decision-maker, let’s call it, and you’ve got the off-field intelligence, and the athleticism, put the whole package together, you’ve got a very good referee. Hollie’s got all three.’