Sara Cox: Premiership's first female referee says she will never replicate historic moment

'You'll never replicate it' - Cox is first woman to referee a Premiership game

Sara Cox says she will never again experience anything like the moment she became the Premiership's first female referee on Saturday.

The 31-year-old took charge of Harlequins' win against Worcester and said she was surprised by the crowd's response as she took to the pitch.

"I wasn't really prepared for what was about to happen - the reaction from people," Cox told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"It is something I don't think I will ever replicate."

It is not the first time Cox has made history as she became the world's first professional female rugby union referee in 2016.

The Devonian was the first woman to take charge of a game between two top-tier sides when Northampton beat Wasps in the Premiership Cup in 2018.

In the league, Cox had originally been chosen to referee Worcester's game against Gloucester in June, but the fixture was cancelled because of Covid-19.

'They called me sir, then corrected themselves'

When she eventually took the reins at Twickenham Stoop, she handed out one yellow card to Warriors winger Noah Heward for an aerial challenge on Tyrone Green.

Cox said it was "a good day in the office" given there was little talk about her decisions post-match.

But she added that players were initially confused about what to call her because the usual custom in rugby is to address the referee as 'sir'.

"I had a couple of them correct themselves," she explained.

"They said sir, then 'oh, hang on. Ref'. I think they worked out themselves they wanted to call me 'ref'.

"It doesn't bother me. I'm still happy for someone to open a line of communication with a respectful word at the start. It's not about gender for me."

Cox added that players and staff marked the historic occasion with her after the match.

"Both captains came over with a signed shirt for me at the end," she said.

"Every single player and the coaching staff from both sides congratulated me afterwards. That was amazing that we had that respect."

Cox will now return to refereeing in the Championship, but hopes to take charge of another Premiership game in a future round.

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