Tara Jones has been appointed referee to the last-four women’s tournament tie between New Zealand and Samoa at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle, Australia, on Saturday.

The selection is reward for her performances in the group stages and marks a notable milestone as a match official in her first world cup, coming just four years after playing for England in the last tournament.

Former St Helens and England hooker Jones, 30, hung up her boots on a successful playing career to focus on her future as a full-time match official, joining the senior panel at the end of 2024 and has taken charge of men’s Super League matches since March this year.

Since arriving Down Under in mid-October, Jones has had the whistle for three group games while being a touch judge in another.

She was in charge of England’s 70-6 win against Wales in Perth on October 17, New Zealand’s victory over France in Christchurch, New Zealand, on October 25, and Fiji’s 54-6 success against France in Gold Coast on October 31.

Match referee Tara Jones with her assistant referees during the Rugby League World Cup 2026 Round 2 match between New Zealand Ferns and Cook Islands at One New Zealand Stadium, Christchurch (Image: www.photosport.nz SWpix.com)

Before crossing the Tasman Sea for the match in New Zealand, she flew from Perth, Western Australia, to Sydney on the east coast to be a touch judge in the Samoa versus Wales fixture on October 23.

Jones won the full set of domestic honours during her playing days with St Helens Women between 2018 and 2024, making 93 appearances.

With Saints, she was a Women's Super League Grand Final winner in 2021, completing the treble that season; a League Leaders' Shield victor twice (2021 and 2024), while lifting the Women's Challenge Cup four times in a row between 2021 and 2024.

Jones was the club's first women's captain in 2018 and she scored the first-ever try by a woman in a senior fixture at Wembley, in the 2023 Challenge Cup Final win over Leeds Rhinos.

Earlier in her career she also won three Challenge Cups with Thatto Heath Crusaders, 2014–2016.