Former Springbok Women’s player makes history as referee
South African referee and former Springbok Women’s player Aimee Barrett-Theron has made history, becoming the first female match official to take charge of 40 Tests.
The momentous moment for Barrett-Theron, 37, formerly from Durban North, happened last Saturday, when she ran out at Allianz Stadium in London in the game between England and New Zealand.
“It was an amazing feeling to be the first female in the world. I’m such a rugby super fan and to walk out with 15 of the best players of each side and have the privilege to manage them on the field was just amazing. The crowd was so positive. That feeling before the game when you walk down the tunnel, I wish I could bottle that feeling because it's incredible,” said Barrett-Theron.
She said being selected to referee a game by the world rugby panel, a person needed to pass their fitness test and, depending on their performance, they would then appoint a person where they saw fit.
“Every game is analysed, every performance and every time you blow your whistle. They appoint you to where you are in the group.”
Barrett-Theron was also the first South African female to take charge of the Carling Currie Cup, Super Rugby and Vodacom United Rugby Championship matches.
During her time as a player, she played as a fullback, centre or fly-half, and played in various forms of the game – 15-a-side rugby union, rugby sevens and touch rugby.
She made the SA sevens in 2007 and played 15-a-side and under 20 in 2008, when she played her first test match at Ellis Park. Then she went on to the Rugby Sevens World Cup in 2009 and the 2010 Women’s Rugby World Cup. In her debut in her first test for the Springboks she scored two tries.
“I did try playing rugby at primary school, but the teachers and my mum wouldn’t let me. But when I got to Northlands Girls High School in grade eight, I started playing touch rugby. I only started playing club rugby in 2005, once I finished school,” she said.
She retired as a player in 2013 to focus on her Masters degree in Sports Science. She also has honours in biokinetics.
“I couldn’t stay away and started refereeing in 2014. During my playing career, I always wanted to understand the law better to try and help my playing. When I saw an advert to become a referee, I knew I couldn’t stay away from the game.”
She took up refereeing, joining the World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series circuit and was included on the refereeing panel for the 2016 Olympic Games.
Barrett-Theron said the best test she refereed was the England vesrus France game, when a crowd of over 58 000 turned out at Twickenham.
As a referee, she said the challenge was to make the most understandable decision.
“To be a good referee you have to know when not to blow your whistle. You want to ref, influence, impact and get what matters, while maintaining flow on the field, because at the end of the day spectators came to watch players play and not to watch you blow your whistle. You don’t want to go out there to prove you know every law; you want to get the ones that matter,” she said.
Barrett-Theron said one of her highlights was getting her first super rugby game, which is the next level in the men’s game.
"It proves that I'm not just a woman, that I just want to tick the boxes, I actually want to perform well and perform on that stage. Also refereeing the Women’s World Cup in New Zealand, refereeing a semi-final and to see how well supported the women’s game is."
She said would like to get involved in the men’s Test matches, and in the women’s game she would like to feature in the play-off games for the Women’s World Cup in 2025.
“I would definitely like to head to Test number 50 and perform consistently at a world class level.”
She said she was now looking forward to the Women’s World Cup in 2025.
Aside from rugby, Barrett-Theron works as a biokineticist in Cape Town.
The mother of one leaves today for Vancouver for the WXV 1 tournament, where the top six women’s rugby teams in the world will play.