Hollie Davidson

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Hollie Davidson
Birth nameHollie Davidson
Height1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)
SchoolAboyne Academy
UniversityUniversity of Edinburgh
Occupation(s)Rugby union referee
Rugby union career
Position(s) Scrum half
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
- Murrayfield Wanderers
Edinburgh University RFC
()
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2010-12 Scotland U20s
Refereeing career
Years Competition Apps
2017-
2018-
2018
2018
2019-
2019-
2021
2021-
Women’s Sevens Series
Rugby Europe
Commonwealth Games
Rugby World Cup Sevens
Women's Six Nations
Super 6
Pro14
URC

Hollie Davidson is a professional rugby union referee who is contracted with the Scottish Rugby Union.[1]

Playing career

Davidson began playing competitive rugby when she was 14.[2] She played at scrum-half for Murrayfield Wanderers, one of the most successful women's rugby union teams in Scotland. During her time here she was known as the speed bump.[3] However a shoulder injury put paid to her playing career.[4]

At Edinburgh University she played for the women's rugby side winning the BUCS final.[5]

Davidson played for Scotland U20's for 2 seasons from 2010-12[4][6] One week before she was due to receive a senior cap she dislocated her shoulder.[7]

Referee career

Professional career

In 2015 Davidson joined the SRU's refereeing course, when a new course was held on Saturdays.[6] Prior to this time the refereeing courses were held on Sunday, the same day as women's professional rugby matches, thus making it impossible for women to train as referees.[2] Davidson became Scottish Rugby Union's first full time professional women's referee in 2017.[3] In 2018, Davidson was Assistant Referee for the Glasgow Warriors v Zebre match in the Pro14.[8]

In 2019 Davidson became the first woman to referee in the Melrose Sevens.[9] On 16 November 19 she refereed the Stirling County v Southern Knights match in the Super 6.[10] In January 2021 Davidson was appointed to officiate a men's professional match for the first time.[11] That match, and a subsequent match to which she was appointed, were cancelled, and she was then appointed in March 2021 to a further Pro 14 Fixture.[12] She refereed her first Pro14 fixture on 19 March 2021; a Munster v Benetton match, winning plaudits from the Munster Head Coach Johann van Graan: "I thought the referee was very good. She was very calm, she communicated to the players exceptionally well before the game. I felt she handled the game really well and I think a real good step forward for her and was very pleased with her performance."[13]

International career

From 2017 Davidson has refereed in the World Rugby Women's Sevens.[14] In 2018 she refereed in the Rugby Europe, the Commonwealth Games and the Rugby World Cup Sevens

Davidson has refereed in the 2019 Women's Six Nations Championship in the Wales v Ireland match on 17 March 2019.[3]

In 2021 Davidson was chosen as one of the referees for the rugby 7's tournament at the delayed 2020 Summer Olympics[15]

In 2022 she was appointed to an all-women team of match officials for a men's test match in Lisbon between a Tier 1 side, Italy, and the host Portugal.[16] Davidson handed 3 yellow cards (2 to Italy, one to Portugal) and the game was won 38-31 by Italy.

Outside of rugby

Davidson has a degree in Economic History from Edinburgh University.[4] Before being a professional referee, Davidson was a Fund Accounting Specialist at J. P. Morgan.[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ "Zebre Rugby team to face Connacht Rugby". Guinness PRO14. 5 April 2019.
  2. ^ a b Scottish Rugby referee Hollie Davidson, retrieved 2022-05-30
  3. ^ a b c "Hollie Davidson's Six Nations debut". Scottish Rugby Union.
  4. ^ a b c McDonald, Sally. "Scotland's first full-time female rugby referee can't wait to jet off to San Francisco for World Cup Sevens".
  5. ^ Scrum, The (29 September 2016). "Former under-20 cap Hollie whistling a new tune".
  6. ^ a b Third, Paul. "Aboyne's Hollie Davidson enters the history books".
  7. ^ "Hollie Davidson happy to blow whistle on route to top rugby refereeing". www.scotsman.com.
  8. ^ "Preview: Glasgow Warriors v Zebre". Guinness PRO14.
  9. ^ "Tweet". twitter.com. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
  10. ^ Morrison, Iain (November 16, 2019). "Super6: honours even for Stirling County and Southern Knights". The Offside Line.
  11. ^ "Scottish referee Hollie Davidson to referee first men's match in Challenge Cup". www.bbc.co.uk. 6 January 2021.
  12. ^ "Hollie Davidson and Joy Neville to undertake referee and TMO roles at Munster-Benetton game". www.bbc.co.uk. 16 March 2021.
  13. ^ "Munster Rugby's Johann van Graan praises referee in ground-breaking fixture". www.limerickleader.ie.
  14. ^ "Hollie Davidson - the pioneer with 'the whole refereeing package'". 13 June 2017 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  15. ^ "Scottish Rugby duo selected to referee at Tokyo Olympics Games". Scottish Rugby Union. 16 April 2021.
  16. ^ Media, P. A. (2022-05-30). "Hollie Davidson to lead first all-female officials team in men's rugby union Test". the Guardian. Retrieved 2022-05-30.

External links