WARRINGTON’S Tara Jones has taken another historic step in her officiating career.

It has been confirmed that the former Penketh High School student will join the RFL’s full-time Match Officials Squad next year, becoming the first woman ever to do so.

As such, Jones will now bring her glittering playing career to an end, with her final game being St Helens’ Women’s Super League Grand Final loss to York Valkyrie yesterday.

The 28-year-old has been a Grade One RFL official for several years now, featuring as a touch judge in several Super League matches while becoming the first woman to take charge of a professional fixture in the Northern Hemisphere earlier this year when she refereed the League One fixture between Oldham and Cornwall in April.

As a player, she has starred as a hooker for both St Helens and England and holds the distinction of being the first woman to score a try in a senior fixture at Wembley Stadium by touching down when Saints beat Leeds Rhinos in last year’s Women’s Challenge Cup Final.

Phil Bentham, the RFL’s Head of Match Officials, said:

"I’m delighted that Tara will be joining our Full-Time Match Officials Squad for the 2025 season,” the RFL’s head of match officials Phil Bentham said of Jones, who finishes her career with 14 England caps.

“It’s been a big decision for her to retire from a fantastic club and international playing career after this weekend’s Women’s Super League Grand Final. 

“She’s had a brilliant season as a match official, becoming the first female official to referee men’s League One and touch judge men’s Super League. 

“This significant appointment will see Tara become the first woman to join our full-time squad, since its inception in 2006.

“She will combine her full-time MO role with work as an ambassador for woman officials, primarily focusing on the recruitment and development of a new cohort.

“We have seen a massive growth in the women's game and it's vital that we see similar growth in our pool of women officials."

England women’s head coach Stuart Barrow added: “Tara has been an outstanding player for club and country at such an exciting time for women’s rugby league and was an integral part of our 2022 World Cup campaign.

“It has taken remarkable dedication and commitment to combine that with her development as a match official.

“With those qualities, all of us in the England Women set-up look forward to watching her develop as member of the Full-Time Match Officials Squad, and as an outstanding role model for women and girls in the sport.”