Some good news this Christmas

Christmas has some early for me and nine other women referees after we learned this week of our appointments to the Women's World Cup next year.

For a match official, like any player, representing your country at a World Cup - whatever the sport - is a career highlight, and so to be told by the IRB that I've made the cut for the match officials' team at next year's event in London is a huge honour.

At the last Women's World Cup in 2006, I was given the official nod just eight weeks before the event, and given that it was in Canada and would mean three weeks out of the country, it was a little hectic to say the least, but this time around we've all been given at least eight months' notice, so there's plenty of time to get things arranged!

I know all the female officials on the list having worked with most of them in Edmonton (2006) and the World Cup 7s, so it will be great to catch up with them again and learn what each other has been up to.

The IRB has also named four male referees and three assistant referees, although they will no doubt appointment more ARs to service all the games (six on each match day), so there will be plenty of opportunity for female officials based in England to be involved in the tournament.

So, there will plenty of festive cheer for those selected and no doubt a few sherries and mince pies will be consumed over the Christmas period to celebrate.

Here's to a return to training on January 2nd!

Referees: Sarah Corrigan (Australia), Clare Daniels (England), Joyce Henry (Canada), Gabby Lee (Hong Kong), Dana Teagarden (USA), Sherry Trumbull (Canada), Nicky Inwood (New Zealand), David Keane (Ireland), Andrew McMenemy (Scotland), Sebastien Minery (France), Javier Mancuso (Argentina).

Assitant referees: Debbie Innes (England), Kerstin Ljungdahl (Germnay), Barbara Guastini (Italy).