Sara Cox: 'Whether it's me or them in the final, it's a proud moment'

This will be Sara Cox’s fifth involvement in the Women’s Rugby World Cup. An incredible feat given the referee is only 35-years-old.

With 44 Tests under her belt, Cox has become a regular presence at the top level of the women’s game. Her first World Cup tournament saw her run touch in a match in 2010 at Surrey Sports Park. How times have changed.

Off the back of the 2025 Rugby World Cup 100 days to go mark, Cox has been announced as a referee for the upcoming tournament, and this time it’s even more special, as it’s on home soil.

Sara Cox emotional on RWC 2025 being in her hometown

Referee Sara Cox chats about the opportunity of taking part in Rugby World Cup 2025, in her hometown of Exeter.

Sara Cox emotional on RWC 2025 being in her hometown

Referee Sara Cox chats about the opportunity of taking part in Rugby World Cup 2025, in her hometown of Exeter.

“The last World Cup I was fortunate enough to go to was in New Zealand, and it was a little bit inaccessible for everyone in my family back in England. This tournament being at home is really important to me. It’s really important to my family- it’s something that we can all enjoy, and everyone can join in,” said the official who first decided to give refereeing a try aged 17.

With a younger sister and parents who are retired Police Officers in the Devon area, the official is delighted the World Cup will be coming to her doorstep.

“We’re very proud of where we’re from in Exeter. But we’re even more proud of the sport and that we get the opportunity to be involved. With Sandy Park, to have a venue with one of the highest amount of games, and the access from Cornwall and the surrounding areas is really important.”

With the Premiership Women’s Rugby (PRW) league in England boasting some of the best talent in the game and England Women being hot favourites to get their hands on the new Rugby World Cup trophy, the tournament being played on English soil has come at a fantastic time for the nation and the game as a whole, believes Cox.

“To host the tournament is really exciting especially given where women’s rugby is now and it’s starting to find its own way. It’s starting to find its own crowds, followers, and distinguish the ways it operates.

“There’s more families at women’s games, it’s more accessible, the price points are different, and you get more of a festival feel to it, whereas the men’s game probably doesn’t have quite that same role to play.

“You can see the growth of the women’s game reflected in the crowds at stadiums, the number of tickets already sold for the World Cup and what you’re seeing with the media (coverage) and the raised interest in the game.”

Cox gives a sense that she does not taking anything for granted, and when it comes to her career, the Exeter born official is particularly thankful to the people who came before her and helped smooth her journey to the top.

“If it hadn’t been for the likes of Claire Hodnett, Clare Daniels, Helen O’Reilly from Ireland, those people that really started to pave the way in a completely different era of the sport, and now the likes of Hollie Davidson who is paving the way in to the men’s game.

“I’m fortunate as well to work with some of the greatest referees at the Rugby Football Union in Wayne Barnes, who’s recently retired, Karl Dickson, Matthew Carley, Luke Pearce, the guys that go out week in, week out in professional rugby.”

As people often say, you know a referee has had a good game when you’re not talking about them on the field. Which can sometimes make it harder to acknowledge and appreciate the hard work which goes in behind the scenes, as Cox explains.

“We put our bodies through things that mean we can go out onto a pitch and perform the very best and be in absolute peak condition physically and mentally.

“We’re also natural competitors. If you look at the background of some of the referees that are involved now, they’ve come from highly competitive backgrounds as players, so you’ve naturally got people who want to compete.

“(In matches) there are things or small mistakes that that can niggle in the back of your head, but it’s how you reset yourself and go back to your job role, knowing what your job is.”

This competitive nature Cox refers to has allowed the 22 match officials (10 referees, six assistant referees and six Television Match Officials) announced for the upcoming tournament, to reach the highest level of the game. But as Cox explains, there can be hardships along the way.

“Like players, you can find yourself in a situation where you’re not selected for something, and with that comes the heartaches which you do find difficult. But you finds ways of dealing with that, and it’s different for everybody.”

As documented in World Rugby’s Whistleblowers documentary, Cox admits there are other challenging parts of being a referee behind the scenes which many people fail to realise.

“Like any job, it can be really challenging at times. The abuse side of things is tough. You naturally see what those comments are saying online, but you try and ignore them as much as possible. If you’re not willing to pay the money to come say that to my face, then, you know, it’s just empty words.

“But what I think people don’t realise sometimes is the hard work that you put in in the background, the sacrifices that you make, the weddings, birthdays, occasions that you miss, that you would love to be at.

“And I think people forget that you have to do a lot of that to be in the position you’re in, and it’s never your intention to go out and ruin someone’s day.”

World Rugby recently announced they are uniting with the world’s top players and match officials to take a powerful stand against online abuse at the Rugby World Cup through an extended partnership with Signify Group.

With Cox a proud English woman, and world number ones and strong favourites to win the tournament being England, does she ever feel conflicted that she may not have the chance to referee a World Cup final?

“I think either the way you flip it, whether it’s me in the final or them (England) in the final, it’s a very proud moment,” admits Cox.

“It would be a very proud moment for English rugby, but I think the proudest moment is being involved in a World Cup that we are hosting. And I think if at the end of the tournament, you can sit down with a cold beer and say ‘that was phenomenal’, I think everybody wins.

“Of course, I’ll be supporting the Red Roses girls. The RFU are my employers and I’ll do everything I can to support them the best I can.

“But, I’ll also be sat in the stands as a spectator because I’m a fan of the rugby. So, whoever gets to that final, however it plays out, it’ll be amazing to be a part of.”