Wikipedia

Hollie Davidson

Not to be confused with Harley Davidson.

Hollie Davidson is a professional rugby union referee who is contracted with the Scottish Rugby Union.[1]

Hollie Davidson
Height1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)
SchoolAboyne Academy
UniversityUniversity of Edinburgh
Occupation(s)Rugby union referee
Rugby union career
Position(s) Scrum half
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
- Murrayfield Wanderers ()
– Edinburgh University RFC ()
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2010-12 Scotland U20s
Refereeing career
Years Competition Apps
2017- Women’s Sevens Series
2018- Rugby Europe
2018 Commonwealth Games
2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens
2019- Women's Six Nations
2019- Super 6
2021 Pro14
2021- URC
2022 1872 Cup

Playing career

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Davidson began playing competitive rugby when she was 14.[2] She played at scrum-half for Murrayfield Wanderers, one of the most successful women's rugby union teams in Scotland. During her time there she was known as the speed bump,[3] but a shoulder injury put an end to her playing career.[4]

At Edinburgh University she played for the women's rugby side winning the BUCS final.[5]

Davidson played for Scotland U20's for 2 seasons from 2010-12[4][6] One week before she was due to receive a senior cap she dislocated her shoulder.[7]

Referee career

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Professional career

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In 2015 Davidson joined the SRU's refereeing course, when a new course was held on Saturdays.[6] Prior to this time the refereeing courses were held on Sunday, the same day as women's professional rugby matches, thus making it impossible for women to train as referees.[2] Davidson became Scottish Rugby Union's first full time professional women's referee in 2017.[3] In 2018, Davidson was Assistant Referee for the Glasgow Warriors v Zebre match in the Pro14.[8]

In 2019 Davidson became the first woman to referee in the Melrose Sevens.[9] On 16 November 19 she refereed the Stirling County v Southern Knights match in the Super 6.[10] In January 2021 Davidson was appointed to officiate a men's professional match for the first time.[11] That match, and a subsequent match to which she was appointed, were cancelled, and she was then appointed in March 2021 to a further Pro 14 Fixture.[12] She refereed her first Pro14 fixture on 19 March 2021; a Munster v Benetton match, winning plaudits from the Munster Head Coach Johann van Graan: "I thought the referee was very good. She was very calm, she communicated to the players exceptionally well before the game. I felt she handled the game really well and I think a real good step forward for her and was very pleased with her performance."[13]

Davidson refereed the 1872 Cup match on 18 March 2022 between Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh Rugby in the United Rugby Championship.[14]

International career

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From 2017 Davidson has refereed in the World Rugby Women's Sevens.[15] In 2018 she refereed in the Rugby Europe, the Commonwealth Games and the Rugby World Cup Sevens

Davidson has refereed in the 2019 Women's Six Nations Championship in the Wales v Ireland match on 17 March 2019.[3]

In 2021 Davidson was chosen as one of the referees for the rugby 7's tournament at the delayed 2020 Summer Olympics[16]

In 2022 she was appointed to an all-women team of match officials for a men's test match in Lisbon between a Tier 1 side, Italy, and the host Portugal.[17]

In November 2022 Davidson was appointed to referee the final of the 2021 Rugby World Cup between hosts New Zealand and England.[18]

In 2023 Davidson was the only female member of the panel of referees for the 2023 World Rugby U20 Championship. She was also appointed to be an assistant referee in three full international warm-up matches for the 2023 Rugby World Cup. [19] In December 2023 Davidson was appointed to be an assistant referee at the England v Wales men's match in February 2024, where she became the first female assistant referee in a men's Six Nations Championship match.[20]

On 20 July 2024 Davidson refereed a test match between South Africa and Portugal in Bloemfontein, becoming the first woman to referee a Springboks match.[21]

Outside of rugby

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Davidson has a degree in Economic History from Edinburgh University.[4]

References

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  1. ^ "Zebre Rugby team to face Connacht Rugby". Guinness PRO14. 5 April 2019.
  2. ^ a b Scottish Rugby referee Hollie Davidson, 18 February 2020, retrieved 30 May 2022
  3. ^ a b c "Hollie Davidson's Six Nations debut". Scottish Rugby Union. 20 March 2019.
  4. ^ a b c McDonald, Sally (18 June 2018). "Scotland's first full-time female rugby referee can't wait to jet off to San Francisco for World Cup Sevens".
  5. ^ Scrum, The (29 September 2016). "Former under-20 cap Hollie whistling a new tune".
  6. ^ a b Third, Paul (14 June 2017). "Aboyne's Hollie Davidson enters the history books".
  7. ^ "Hollie Davidson happy to blow whistle on route to top rugby refereeing". www.scotsman.com.
  8. ^ "Preview: Glasgow Warriors v Zebre". Guinness PRO14.
  9. ^ "Tweet". twitter.com. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  10. ^ Morrison, Iain (16 November 2019). "Super6: honours even for Stirling County and Southern Knights". The Offside Line.
  11. ^ "Scottish referee Hollie Davidson to referee first men's match in Challenge Cup". www.bbc.co.uk. 6 January 2021.
  12. ^ "Hollie Davidson and Joy Neville to undertake referee and TMO roles at Munster-Benetton game". www.bbc.co.uk. 16 March 2021.
  13. ^ "Munster Rugby's Johann van Graan praises referee in ground-breaking fixture". www.limerickleader.ie. 20 March 2021.
  14. ^ "Glasgow Warriors-vs-Edinburgh Rugby - United Rugby Championship". www.unitedrugby.com.
  15. ^ "Hollie Davidson - the pioneer with 'the whole refereeing package'". BBC Sport. 13 June 2017.
  16. ^ "Scottish Rugby duo selected to referee at Tokyo Olympics Games". Scottish Rugby Union. 16 April 2021.
  17. ^ Media, P. A. (30 May 2022). "Hollie Davidson to lead first all-female officials team in men's rugby union Test". the Guardian. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  18. ^ "Scotland's Hollie Davidson appointed to referee women's World Cup final". the National. 8 November 2022. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  19. ^ "Hollie Davidson makes history (again) and sets sights on men's Rugby World Cup/". The Scotsman. 13 June 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  20. ^ Media, P. A. (5 December 2023). "Hollie Davidson to become first female assistant referee in men's Six Nations". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  21. ^ "Hollie Davidson set to make history as she referees South Africa v Portugal Test". The Independent. 19 July 2024. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
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