SAINTS and England Women’s player Tara Jones will make history once again this weekend when she becomes the first woman to referee a senior professional Rugby League fixture in the Northern Hemisphere.

Jones, 27, has already secured one place in history having scored the opening try in the first Women’s Challenge Cup Final at Wembley last August, but is now breaking barriers again after being appointed to take charge of the Betfred League One fixture between Oldham and Cornwall at Boundary Park on Sunday.

Phil Bentham, the RFL’s Head of Match Officials, said: “Tara has earned this opportunity after years of steady development as a match official through the community game and as a regular touch judge and in-goal judge for professional matches.

“She has received high-profile appointments in a number of competitions, including this season’s Betfred Challenge Cup, and has impressed everyone with the way she has performed – earning the respect of players, coaches and her fellow match officials.”