Female assistant referee Clare Daniels to make rugby history
Friday 11 November 2016 11:51, UK
Clare Daniels will make rugby history this Sunday after being named assistant referee for Exeter's Anglo-Welsh Cup clash with Cardiff Blues.
Daniels became the first female fourth official in Premiership Rugby history in September when Exeter beat Bristol at Ashton Gate, and she returns to the south-west this weekend.
That will make her the first the first female assistant referee in top-level men's rugby, having already set a record for the most caps as a referee in women's Test matches.
The former Bath Chronicle sports writer has now been a match official development officer for the RFU for six years, but Daniels concedes she has exceeded even her wildest expectations on the pitch since then.
"It's of course a privilege to be involved," she said. "I am very excited about it, but I'll just approach the game like I would any other fixture - even if it is another first for female officials - because ultimately that doesn't come into the make-up of the game.
"It will hopefully be a great occasion on the pitch, and hopefully there can be even more positive side-effects for female officials.
"It's wonderful that it's another first for me; when you start off you just set yourself realistic goals and I remember going along to a local club game and thinking if I ever got good enough to be involved with a fixture at that level that I would be pleased.
"And now to be involved with a game like this is beyond what I ever dreamt of originally but you want to challenge yourself and be the best you can be.
"Like a player, you've got to put in the graft, training, and do your homework if you're going to be able to do a good job on the pitch and get these kinds of opportunities."
