Holly Davidson has been suspended from judicial duties with immediate effect as the Scottish judge begins her planned summer break after a remarkable year of historic achievements.
Davidson’s last assignment before the hiatus was last weekend, when she was a judge England win 73-8 over Fiji at Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool.
The 33-year-old is not on the list for the final round of the Nations Championship or Nations Cup.
However, its absence can largely be explained by the unusual geography of this weekend’s matches.
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Why Holly Davidson won’t be able to referee this weekend
Davidson remained in the United Kingdom throughout the summer Nations Championship, while many other officials traveled between Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina and Japan.
The only Nations Championship match to be played in Britain this weekend is Scotland clash with Fiji at Murrayfield.
As a Scottish official, Davidson will not be considered for a Test involving Scotland as international umpires are expected to be neutral.
This left no suitable UK meeting for Davidson without the need for another long trip at the end of an already busy season.
So her planned summer break began: England referee Matthew Carley was appointed to take charge of the Scotland v Fiji match.
Incredible year of achievements
Davidson’s breakthrough came after one of the most significant periods of any official’s career.
In February she became first woman to referee a men’s Six Nations matchin charge of Ireland’s meeting with Italy at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
She previously became the first female assistant referee at both the men’s Six Nations and Rugby Championships, and became the first female referee at the Rugby Under-20 World Cup.
Davidson also made history in May 2025 when she became the first woman appointed to referee an EPCR final, overseeing the Bath Challenge Cup final against Lyon.
Later that year, she became the first referee for two Women’s Rugby World Cup finals, having previously officiated the 2021 final between England and New Zealand. She joins South Africa’s Andre Watson as the only officials to have officiated two Rugby World Cup finals.
Her performances were recognized when she received 2025 World Rugby Referee Award.before she was also inducted into the Scottish Rugby Hall of Fame.
Nations Championship – Third round assignments
Australia vs Italy
Judge: Christophe Ridley (England)
Assistant referees: Carl Dixon (England) and Morne Ferreira (South Africa)
TMO: Marius van der Westhausen (South Africa)
FPRO: Ian Tempest (England)
New Zealand vs Ireland
Judge: Nick Berry (Australia)
Assistant referees: Luc Ramos (France) and Damon Murphy (Australia)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
FPRO: Andrew Jackson (England)
South Africa v Wales
Judge: Andrew Brace (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Pierre Brousset (France) and James Doleman (New Zealand)
TMO: Ollie Hodges (Ireland)
FPRO: Richard Kelly (New Zealand)
Argentina vs England
Judge: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Assistant referees: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia) and Paul Williams (New Zealand)
TMO: Brett Cronan (Australia)
FPRO: Toile Trainini (France)
Japan vs France
Judge: Ben O’Keefe (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Andrea Piardi (Italy) and Luke Pearce (England)
TMO: Glenn Newman (New Zealand)
FPRO: Matteo Liperini (Italy)
Scotland to Fiji
Venue: Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Judge: Matthew Carley (England)
Assistant referees: Eoghan Cross (Ireland) and Anthony Woodthorpe (England)
TMO: Eric Gozens (France)
FPRO: Leo Colgan (Ireland)
Top ten rugby referees (ranking)
Here’s our ranking of the 10 best rugby referees in the world, counting from 10 to 1.
10 Carl Dixon
A former Harlequins scrum-half, Dixon set about officiating while still lacing up his boots. His career in the English ranks has been rapid, leading to his first international assignment in 2020. His performances have been controversial – some believe he sometimes misses matches – but his understanding of player behavior and commitment to improvement earn him respect among officials.
9 Mike Adamson
Following his playing career, Adamson chose refereeing over coaching, a decision that took him from domestic competition to championship rugby. He is calm, knowledgeable and collected, although some question how he deals with difficult moments.
As the first man to both play and referee in the Pro12, his career reflects the perseverance and passion at the highest levels of rugby.
8 Matt Carley
Carly has built a distinguished career as one of rugby’s leading referees. Rising through the ranks domestically, he became a regular official at the top level of English rugby and received assignments to major international competitions.
His calm authority, consistency and ability to control the tempo of the game earned him widespread respect throughout the sport.
7 James Doleman
From Dunedin school fields to international arenas, Doleman’s rise has been meteoric. Clear communication is his calling card, even if some observers believe he is still hitting his biggest milestones.
Having already judged major test nations, his reputation for precision and confidence is rapidly growing.
6 Luke Pierce
Pierce’s progress was smooth and steady. Starting at just 16, he earned respect early on for his clarity and rapport with players.
Fans love the way he lets games breathe, although others feel he can be too lenient at times. His philosophy of leading rather than controlling has made him a regular choice for the national team’s big players.