Super rugby to get female touch when the Australian official runs touch in match

29 June 2016 - 18:11 By Craig Ray

Australia’s top female referee‚ Amy Perrett‚ will run touch in the crucial match‚ becoming the first female official in the tournament's history‚ 21 years after the game went professional. Perrett is a product of the Australian Rugby Union’s (ARU) Referee Pathways program and recently was announced as one of Australia’s two officiating representatives at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.Perrett has already reached the top of the women’s game where she took charge of the Women’s World Cup final.“I am really proud to be given this honour this weekend and I certainly hope this opens the door for more women to officiate the top level across Rugby‚” Perrett said.“I am just focused on doing my job to the best of my ability and will be joining a fantastic team of SANZAAR refs right across Australia‚ New Zealand‚ South Africa and Argentina who referee Super Rugby week in and week out.”The Stormers‚ in the meantime‚ will only name their team for the match on Thursday as coach Robbie Fleck ponders his fullback selection.The Cape side are without Cheslin Kolbe‚ who is with the SA Sevens team in training in Stellenbosch. Dillyn Leyds is injured but the fit-again Jaco Taute could be drafted in to fullback where he made his name with the Lions in 2011.In Durban Sharks prop Tendai Mtawarira is hoping to take his good Springbok form into Saturday’s vital Africa 2 clash against the Lions at Ellis Park.“It’s exciting to be back and in familiar territory‚ we’re all excited for this week’s match‚” Mtawarira said. “I’m feeling good after the Test series‚ perhaps a little stiff‚ but I’m fit and once I get going‚ I’ll just keep on playing.“This is definitely a very tough game ahead of us‚ but there is a lot of excitement about this challenge. It’s why we play rugby – to go up against the best. The Lions are top of the South African log and we’re going to have to really step up in a lot of areas.“We have the underdog tag this week and we’re going to have to fight hard and win those inches on the field.With three matches remaining in the pool stages and all to fight for‚ this clash with the Lions takes on added importance with the result impacting on how the final places in Africa Conference 2 pan out.“We are not underestimating the big challenge we have coming this week‚” he admits. “We know the level of physicality we need to bring‚ it’s going to be tough.” - TMG Digital..

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