Tara Jones

Tara Louise Jones MBE is an English rugby league referee and former player. She was hooker for St Helens and the England national team. In both disciplines, her career took off in 2018, when she captained St Helens in their debut women's Super League and became the first female match official for the men's Super League.

Early years Jones was born in Germany

Career Playing Jones played for Thatto Heath Crusaders women's side in St Helens at the start of her career. taking the same title against Featherstone Rovers the following year, and Leigh Miners Rangers the year after that.

Thatto Heath, smaller than the nearby St Helens R.F.C. Women, was bought out by this club ahead of the 2018 season. Jones was retained. For the 2019 season, she and Jodie Cunningham were named co-captains. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, all rugby league except the men's Super League shut down; Jones, whose three-pronged career is playing, officiating, and coaching rugby, had to find alternative employment for the year. In 2021, she helped St Helens to win all three available trophies: In November 2019, Jones played in both games against Papua New Guinea. She then scored a try for England in their 60–0 defeat of Wales in 2021, the squad's first game since the Papua New Guinea tour. She was then called up for preparation matches for the 2021 Women's Rugby League World Cup, She was one of eight St Helens players who played the first match in this women's World Cup, passing well and scoring a try in their 72–4 victory over debutants Brazil.

Jones announced her retirement from her playing career after St Helens defeat by York Valkyrie in the 2024 RFL Women's Super League Grand Final. The announcement was concurrent with the news from the Rugby Football League that Jones is joining the full-time match officials squad.

Officiating Having started refereeing in 2009 at the age of twelve, Jones is part of the Warrington referees' society. Among her experience are Schools Championship games, including at Wembley. As of September 2022, she has been the principal referee for three games, all in the Challenge Cup.

Jones has said that she wants to become a higher-ranked official, but her priority is playing.

Jones became the first woman to referee a senior men's match in the northern hemisphere when she took charge of the League One match between Oldham and Cornwall on 14 April 2024.

At the end of 2024, Jones was appointed to the RFL full-time match officials squad, becoming the first woman to be appointed. In December 2025, Jones was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to rugby league football, as a referee, in the 2026 New Year Honours.

Born in Germany where her father was stationed in the British Army, Jones has a close affinity with the Armed Forces and has officiated in the annual Armed Forces Rugby League festival at Crosfields ARLFC since its inception. In June 2025, she refereed the centrepiece game between Crosfields and the British Army.

In February 2026, Jones became the first woman to officiate a game involving Super League clubs, taking charge of the Challenge Cup third round tie between Swinton Lions and Wakefield Trinity. The following month she was named as the first woman to officiate a Super League fixture; namely the Round 6 game between Wigan Warriors and Huddersfield Giants on 28 March 2026