Wayne Barnes hails 'trailblazer' Hollie Davidson ahead of historic Bok fixture

Davidson is poised to make rugby history in Bloemfontein on Saturday by becoming the first woman to referee a match featuring the Springboks.

Rassie Erasmus' side play Portugal for the first time with seven uncapped players in a squad eager to bounce back from last week's painful loss to Ireland.

Salmaan Moerat makes his Bok captaincy debut and only four from the Durban matchday 23 keep their spots.

For some, the most eye-catching selection is that of Davidson as referee but Wayne Barnes, rugby's most-decorated whistler, says it makes perfect sense.

"Hollie is an extremely talented, impressive match official," he says. "Nothing to do with whether she's male or female. She's a peer and she's admired by everyone within the group.

"It used to be with me 'I was just promoted because of my age', but there's no longer that idea you're promoted for any other reason than you deserve to be there.

"Any suggestion you're promoted just because of your sex is a fallacy.

âœTalk to anyone across the game, talk to the coaches in URC (United Rugby Championship), they all rate Hollie as one of the best. She is really respected.â

Davidson is already the first female official to referee a Six Nations team â- Italy v Portugal in 2022 â- and the first to be involved in a Six Nations match, running the line in England's home clash with Wales earlier this year.

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