World Rugby signs IWG Women and Sport’s Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration while Davidson receives World Rugby Referee Award

On Thursday World Rugby became the latest signatory to the International Working Group (IWG) on Women and Sport’s Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration.

Signed on day one of World Rugby’s Women Summit, the Declaration is an international treaty that has become a road map to support the ongoing development of a more fair and equitable system of sport and physical activity, fully inclusive of women and girls.

World Rugby adds it’s signature on the back of a hugely successful Women’s Rugby World Cup set to culminate on Saturday where 82 000 people will watch the finals. Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 has already broken records for participants, tickets sold and broadcast viewers.

As a signatory, World Rugby is committed to further developing strategies, activities and programmes that support women and girls in 10 principles, covering all elements of sport and physical activity from participation to leadership and from governance to visibility.

World Rugby joins the likes of the International Olympic Committee, Fifa (football), FIA (motorsport) and UCI (cycling) as international federations who are signatories to the treaty.

Signing the treaty on behalf of World Rugby, Chair Brett Robinson said: “It is a huge privilege to add World Rugby’s name to the Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration. This week we reach the crescendo of the record breaking Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 in England, so there is no better time for us to recommit to deliver for women and girls in rugby around the world both on the pitch and off it.”

World Rugby Chief of Women’s Rugby Sally Horrox added: “World Rugby and our wider sport knows that the women’s game is our biggest area for growth over the coming years. That is why we’ve put in a place a series of plans and strategies to support women and girls to play rugby wherever they are. In signing the Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration we pledge to continue that work in all aspects of our sport, ensuring that Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 is not the pinnacle of what we can achieve but a great foundation to push on to bigger and better things.”

Lisa O’Keefe MBE said: “I am absolutely delighted that World Rugby has chosen the closing stages of their record-breaking Rugby World Cup 2025 to sign the IWG Brighton plus Helsinki Declaration here in London as part of their Women’s Rugby Global Summit 2025.

“The IWG has enjoyed a long and valued partnership with World Rugby. We regularly showcase their approach to growing the game for women and girls as examples for others to learn from, and I encourage anyone committed to advancing gender equality in and through sport to explore World Rugby’s approach and resources available on their website. I am thrilled that their ongoing commitment to the growth of the women and girls’ game is paying off so spectacularly.

“I also look forward to welcoming colleagues from World Rugby to the IWG Global Summit on Women Sport in 2026, and I wish them every success for the finals weekend.”

Meanwhile, only days out from refereeing the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 final, Scotland’s Hollie Davidson has been presented with the World Rugby Referee Award in partnership with Emirates at the Women’s Rugby Global Summit in London on Thursday.

Davidson is the second Scottish official after Jim Fleming to receive the accolade, which recognises international men’s and women’s referees, in sevens or 15s, who have made a significant contribution to the game of rugby.

She is the third female recipient, following in the footsteps of Alhambra Nievas – who shared the award in 2016 with fellow Olympic Games gold medal match referee Rasta Rasivhenge – and Joy Neville, the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017 final referee.

Davidson has been a trailblazer for female match officials in recent years, continually setting first after first as one of the most experienced referees in the game with more than a quarter of her 46 matches in the middle having come in the men’s Test arena.

She was the first to referee a Men’s Six Nations team when she led an all-female team in Italy’s 38-31 win over Portugal in June 2022, before completing the Rugby World Cup final double in sevens and 15s only 62 days apart later that year.

In the last two years, Davidson has refereed a Rugby Championship team in world champions South Africa in July 2024 and a match involving a Men’s Six Nations and Rugby Championship team with the Springboks’ Test with Italy this July.

Davidson also became the first female assistant referee in both the Men’s Six Nations and Rugby Championship in 2024, the first to referee at the World Rugby U20 Championship that year and more recently took charge of the European Rugby Challenge Cup final between Bath and Lyon in May.

This weekend Davidson will add another first when she takes charge of her second Women’s Rugby World Cup final before a sold-out Allianz Stadium, the first female to achieve the feat and only the third in history with South Africa’s Andre Watson refereeing the men’s Rugby World Cup final in 1999 and 2003 and Ed Morrison of England with the men’s title decider in 1995 and the women’s final in 1998.

World Rugby Chair Brett Robinson said: “On behalf of World Rugby, I want to congratulate Hollie on receiving this thoroughly deserved Referee Award and wish her the very best of luck as she takes charge of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 final this weekend. Referees are the soul of our game. Without them, rugby simply would not exist and their invaluable contribution deserves to be celebrated.

“Hollie has also been a true trailblazer, consistently breaking new ground and shattering glass ceilings for women in refereeing. Her remarkable achievements on the biggest stages have set new standards and opened doors for others to follow. We are in awe of what she has accomplished so far and deeply grateful for the inspiration she continues to provide for the next generation of match officials and players alike.”

Su Carty, Chair of the Emirates Match Officials Selection Committee, added: “This award is a fitting recognition of Hollie’s outstanding career and her ability to referee at the very highest level of the game. Time and again she has demonstrated composure, authority and excellence in the middle, whether in women’s or men’s Test matches. Her journey and success will undoubtedly inspire more and more people to pick up the whistle, and we are excited to see the lasting impact she will have on the future of officiating.”

World Rugby Referee Award recipients

(known as the Referee Award for Distinguished Service from 2001-14)

2001 – Ed Morrison (England)

2002 – Colin Hawke (New Zealand)

2003 – Derek Bevan (Wales)

2004 – Jim Fleming (Scotland)

2005 – Paddy O’Brien (New Zealand)

2006 – Peter Marshall (Australia)

2007 – Dick Byres (Australia)

2008 – Andre Watson (South Africa)

2009 – Francis Palmade (France)

2010 – Colin High (England)

2011 – Keith Lawrence (New Zealand)

2012 – Paul Dobson (South Africa)

2013 – Michel Lamoulie (France)

2014 – Bob Francis (New Zealand)

2015 – Nigel Owens (Wales)

2016 – Alhambra Nievas (Spain) and Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa)

2017 – Joy Neville (Ireland)

2018 – Angus Gardner (Australia)

2019 – Wayne Barnes (England)

2021 – Andrew Cole (Australia)

2022 – Tappe Henning (South Africa)

2023 – David McHugh (Ireland)