Sara Cox (referee)
{{short description|English rugby union referee}}
{{Use British English| date=November 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| name = Sara Cox
| honorific_suffix = {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|MBE}}
| image = Sara Cox 2021.jpg
| caption =
| birth_name =
| nickname =
| birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|26|2017|3|5}}
| birth_place =
| occupation = Rugby union referee
| refereeyears1 = 2014–
| refereeyears2 = 2014–
| refereeyears3 = 2018–
| refereeyears4 = 2018–
| refereecomps1 = Women's Rugby World Cup
| refereecomps2 = Women's Premiership
| refereecomps3 = Premiership Rugby
| refereecomps4 = Test match
| refereeapps1 =
| ru_refereeupdate = 3 November 2018
}}
Sara Louise Cox{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/65889468|title=King's Birthday Honours: Sarah Hunter and Ian Wright among those included|publisher=BBC Sport|date=17 June 2023|access-date=20 June 2023}} {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|MBE}} is an English rugby union referee and former rugby union footballer. In 2016, she became the world's first professional female rugby union referee, and in 2018 she became the first woman to referee a Premiership Rugby Cup{{cite news| url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/46049534| title= Female referee Sara Cox to officiate at Premiership Rugby Cup match| work=BBC Sport| date=31 October 2018| access-date=2 November 2018}} match. On 25 September 2021, she became the first woman to referee a Premiership Rugby Union Match when she took centre field for a fixture between Harlequins and Worcester Warriors at the Stoop.{{cite news| url= https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-union/sara-cox-gallagher-premiership-female-referee-b1923725.html| title= Sara Cox makes history after becoming the first female referee in a Premiership fixture| work=The Independent| date=20 September 2021| access-date=22 September 2021}}
Career
As a player, Cox played rugby for Exeter, Saracens, Cullompton and Plymouth Albion, and had trials for England U-21. Aged 17, she decided to retire from playing the sport after an injury, and took up refereeing instead,{{cite news| url= https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/mar/05/sara-cox-legacy-female-referees-rugby-union| title= Sara Cox: 'I'd like to leave behind a legacy for other female referees'|last=Meagher| first=Gerard| work=The Observer| date=5 March 2017| access-date=2 November 2018}}{{cite news| url= https://www.englandrugby.com/news/features/sara-cox-breaks-barriers-first-female-greene-king-ipa-championship/#| title= Cox breaks barriers in Championship| work=England Rugby| date=8 March 2018| access-date=3 November 2018}} initially part time, whilst also working for a waste management company.{{cite news| url= https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/sara-cox-becomes-first-female-rugby-referee-to-join-rfu-match-official-team-a6767391.html| title= Sara Cox becomes first female rugby referee to join RFU match official team| work=The Independent| date=10 December 2015| access-date=3 November 2018}}
Cox officiated at the 2014 Women's Rugby World Cup in France.{{cite news| url= https://www.rwcwomens.com/news/234787?lang=en| title= Match officials announced for Women's Rugby World Cup| publisher=Women's Rugby World Cup| date=30 March 2017| access-date=2 November 2018}} In 2016, she became the first female referee to be centrally contracted by the Rugby Football Union (RFU), and the world's first professional female rugby union referee. In the same year, she officiated the Women's Premiership final between Richmond and Saracens.{{cite news| url= https://www.wiltsglosstandard.co.uk/sport/14329063.rugby-i-wanted-to-stay-involved-in-the-game-says-dorset-wilts-referee-vicky-muir/| title= For International Women's Day we talked to rugby referee Vicky Muir|last=Hall| first=Danny| work=Wilts and Glos Standard| date=8 March 2016| access-date=2 November 2018}}{{cite news| url= https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11941620| title= Women referees go next level in men's rugby|last=Rowan| first=Kate| work=The Daily Telegraph| via=The New Zealand Herald| date=8 November 2017| access-date=2 November 2018}} Cox officiated at the rugby sevens event at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.{{cite news| url= http://4theloveofsport.co.uk/2018/03/09/sara-cox-makes-a-little-bit-of-history/| title= Rugby referee Sara Cox makes a little bit of history|last=Powell| first=Jennie| work=4 The Love of Sport| date=9 March 2018| access-date=3 November 2018}} She was the only English referee at the tournament.{{cite news| url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/36766971|title=Sara Cox: England's only referee at Rio 2016 Olympics excited by opportunity|last=Pillnick|first=Brent|work=BBC Sport| date=12 July 2016| access-date=18 December 2018}}
In February 2017, Cox became the first female to referee a National League 1 match.{{cite news| url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2018/10/31/sara-cox-make-history-first-female-referee-match-premiership/| title= Sara Cox to make history as first female referee of match between Premiership teams| last=Rowan| first=Kate| work=The Daily Telegraph|url-access=subscription | date=31 October 2018| access-date=2 November 2018}} In the same year, she was chosen by European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) to officiate in the men's Challenge Cup, and also officiated at the 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup in Ireland.
In March 2018, Cox became the first female to referee a RFU Championship match, when she officiated a match between Cornish Pirates and Doncaster Knights. She officiated at the rugby sevens event at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia. In November 2018, Cox became the first female to referee a match between two Premiership Rugby teams, when she officiated a Premiership Rugby Cup fixture between Northampton Saints and Wasps at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry.{{cite news| url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/46095893| title= Sara Cox proud to be inspiration for female referees after making English rugby history| work=BBC Sport| date=5 November 2018| access-date=18 December 2018}}{{cite news| url= https://www.skysports.com/rugby-union/news/12321/11541110/sara-cox-to-make-english-rugby-history-by-refereeing-in-premiership-rugby-cup| title= Sara Cox to make English rugby history by refereeing in Premiership Rugby Cup| work=Sky Sports| date=31 October 2018| access-date=2 November 2018}} She was also selected as an assistant referee for November 2018 men's internationals between Hong Kong and Germany, and between Kenya and Germany. This was the first time that Cox had officiated in a men's international match.{{cite news| url= https://www.englandrugby.com/news/referees-selected-for-the-november-internationals/| title= Referees selected for November internationals| work=England Rugby| date=10 October 2018| access-date=3 November 2018}} In the same month, she officiated a women's international match between France and New Zealand.
In August 2020, Cox became the first woman to officiate a Premiership Rugby league match, when she was one of Wayne Barnes' assistants for a fixture between Bath and Wasps.{{cite news| url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2020/08/31/sara-cox-makes-history-becoming-first-female-assistant-referee/| title= Sara Cox makes history after becoming the first female official in a Premiership fixture| work=The Daily Telegraph| date=31 August 2020| access-date=25 September 2020}}{{cite news| url= https://www.rugbypass.com/news/sara-cox-made-premiership-history-this-week-that-has-been-much-praised-premiership/| title= Fans laud Cox's Premiership breakthrough| publisher=Rugby Pass| date=2 September 2020| access-date=25 September 2020}} In May 2021, she officiated the 2020–21 Premier 15s Final.{{cite web| url= https://www.premier15s.com/fixtures-and-results/match-centre-community?matchId=893999#match%20info| title=Allianz Premier 15s Final| publisher=Premier 15s| date=May 2021| access-date=2 June 2021}}
On 25 September 2021, Sara Cox became the first woman to referee a Premiership Rugby League Match when she took centre field for a fixture between Harlequins and Worcester Warriors at the Stoop. She had previously been selected as main official for a June 2021 fixture between Worcester and Gloucester, but that match was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite news| url=https://www.skysports.com/rugby-union/news/12321/12418348/sara-cox-referees-harlequins-35-29-worcester-and-becomes-first-woman-to-oversee-premiership-game| title=Sara Cox referees Harlequins 35-29 Worcester and becomes first woman to oversee Premiership game| work=Sky Sports| date=25 September 2021| access-date=27 September 2021}}
In May 2022, Cox was selected as a referee for the delayed 2021 Rugby World Cup.{{cite web| url=https://www.rugbyworldcup.com/2021/news/718623/all-female-team-of-referees-to-take-charge-of-rugby-world-cup-2021| title=ALL-FEMALE TEAM OF REFEREES TO TAKE CHARGE OF RUGBY WORLD CUP 2021| publisher=Rugby World Cup| date=26 May 2022| access-date=26 May 2022}}
Cox was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2023 Birthday Honours for services to rugby union football.{{London Gazette|issue=64082|supp=y|page=B18|date=17 June 2023}}
References
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{{Commons category}}
{{2021 Rugby World Cup referees}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cox, Sara}}
Category:English women referees and umpires
Category:English female rugby union players
Category:English rugby union referees
Category:Women rugby union referees
Category:Premiership Rugby referees
Category:Rugby union players from Devon
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)