Scottish referee Hollie Davidson is set to make another piece of rugby history on Saturday as she becomes the first female referee to take charge of an All Blacks match.
Davidson will be in the middle when New Zealand, whose hopes of a Grand Slam tour were ended by defeat to England last weekend, face Wales in Cardiff.
The match will be Davidson's 14th men's test and second featuring two Six Nations or Rugby Championship teams, having become the first female to referee such a match with South Africa’s 42-24 defeat of Italy in July.
The 33-year-old wrote her name in the history books by taking charge of a second consecutive Women's Rugby World Cup final in the summer, becoming just the third official to do so, following Ed Morrison and Andre Watson.
As recognition for her achievements, Davidson was the recipient of this year's World Rugby Referee Award.
When Davidson was awarded a ceremonial cap earlier this year by Scottish Rugby, the former scrum-half, whose playing career was cut short by injury just as she broke into the Scotland side, outlined her aim to referee at the men's Rugby World Cup in 2027.
“My big goal would be to referee in 2027 at the Men's World Cup, I'd be lying if I said that that wasn't one of my ambitions,” she said.
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Davidson, from Aboyne in Aberdeenshire, has been backed to achieve that goal by Jim Fleming, one of Scotland's top referees, who took charge of two World Cup semi-finals in 1995 and 1999.
In an exclusive interview with Scotland Rugby News, Fleming said: “She has refereed men’s internationals but not in the Six Nations although she has ran the line twice in the tournament.
"She is ready to make the step up and referee a Six Nations match, no question.
"That would pave the way to them possibly appointing a female, hopefully Hollie, to referee in the men’s World Cup in Australia in 2027.
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Davidson will be assisted by Italy's Andrea Piardi and Gianluca Gnecchi in Cardiff on Saturday.
Englishman Ian Tempest is the television match official (TMO), with Italian Matteo Liperini is the foul play review official (FPRO) at the Principality Stadium.
