Irish referee Joy Neville will referee her final game at this year's Guinness Women’s Six Nations. The Limerick native's final game will be the France versus Italy tie in Paris on April 14.
Limerick-native Neville's playing career consisted of playing time with Shannon and the UL Bohemians, as well as her home province, Munster.
The famous referee also won 70 caps for Ireland, where she and the team won the 2009 Women's Six Nations Championship, guiding them to their first-ever victory over France. Neville then achieved a Women's Six Nations Grand Slam in 2013 and participated in two Women’s Rugby World Cups in 2006 and 2010.
Having concluded her playing career, the Limerick native climbed the ranks in refereeing, officiating matches across various prestigious events, including the All-Ireland League, World Rugby Sevens Series, URC, EPCR Challenge Cup, and Champions Cup. Her pinnacle moment came in 2017 when she refereed the Women’s Rugby World Cup final and earned the esteemed World Rugby Referee Award in the same year.
In the Rugby World Cup just gone, Neville was the television match official for last year's tournament in France.
After her final game, Neville will take up a new role as the new Referee Development Manager in Connacht.
🏉 Legendary Irish referee Joy Neville has announced today that she will retire from officiating at the end of this season as she’s set to take up a new role as the Referee Development Manager in Connacht.
Thoughts 💭?! #irishrugby #referees #womeninsport @IrishRugby pic.twitter.com/V6YMNyVtot
— Her Sport (@HerSportDotIE) January 15, 2024
Neville will work with key provincial personnel to recruit, educate and retain referees to provide for the needs of the game, as well as develop referees from the trainee referee to the national panel.
In this year's Women's Six Nation, Ireland will kick off their 2024 Championship campaign against France in Le Mans on Saturday, March 23, with the match starting at 2:15 pm local time. Their first home game of the Six Nations will see them host Italy at the RDS on Sunday, March 31, with the match starting at 3 pm.
After playing both home games at Musgrave Park last season, Ireland will return to the Cork venue for their third-round clash against Wales on Saturday, April 13, starting at 4:45 pm.
Subsequently, Ireland will travel to face England at Twickenham on Saturday, April 20, with the match kicking off at 2:15 pm. The Six Nations will conclude for Ireland with a match against Scotland at Kingspan Stadium in Belfast on Saturday, April 27, starting at 2:30 pm.
Tickets for Ireland's home matches are available for purchase at Ticketmaster.ie.
Ireland's 2024 Women's Six Nations Fixtures:
- Saturday, March 23: France vs. Ireland, Stade Marie-Marvingt, 2.15 local time
- Sunday, March 31: Ireland vs. Italy, the RDS, 3pm
- Saturday, April 13: Ireland vs. Wales, Musgrave Park, 4.45
- Saturday, April 2: England vs. Ireland, Twickenham, 2.15
- Saturday, April 27: Ireland vs. Scotland, Kingspan Stadium, 2.30
