Neville, who announced her retirement from international refereeing in January as she takes up a Referee Development role with Connacht Rugby is joined in the panel of Officials by Leo Colgan who is named TMO for Wales v Scotland.
As part of her new role with Connacht, former Ireland international Neville will work with key provincial personnel to recruit, educate and retain referees to provide for the needs of the game, as well as to develop referees from Trainee Referee to National Panel.
Joy Neville played her Club career with Shannon and UL Bohemians and also represented her home province Munster with distinction. In all she won 70 caps for Ireland, captaining the team during the 2009 Women’s Six Nations Championship, leading the Ireland women to their inaugural win over France.
She also won a Women’s Six Nations Grand Slam in 2013 and featured in two Women’s Rugby World Cups, in 2006 and 2010.
Upon her retirement from the game, the Limerick woman rose up through the ranks at All-Ireland League, World Rugby Sevens Series, URC, EPCR Challenge Cup and Champions Cup tournaments. Joy refereed the Women’s Rugby World Cup final in 2017 and won the World Rugby Referee Award that same year.
She was also appointed for the Women’s Rugby World Cup in New Zealand in 2021 and a few months ago was named by World Rugby to officiate as a TMO at the Men’s Rugby World Cup in France alongside three of her IRFU colleagues Andrew Brace, Chris Busby and Brian MacNeice.
Ireland’s opening match against France in the Guinness Women’s Six Nations will be refereed by Kat Roche (USAR). The first home game of the Championship, against Italy at the RDS, will be refereed by Hollie Davidson (SRU).
Tickets for all three Ireland home matches are on sale now at Ticketmaster while group bookings for schools and clubs are also available.
