NRL referee Belinda Sharpe is set to tick off a three-year goal to again take charge of an elite men’s match after being appointed to control this weekend’s England-Greece World Cup fixture at Bramall Lane.
Sharpe made history in 2019 by becoming the first female to referee an NRL match but since the scrapping of the two-referee system at the outset of the COVID pandemic she has worked solely as a touch judge for men’s games.
The appointment of the 35-year-old comes after fellow NRL referee Kasey Badger controlled the Tonga-Wales World Cup match earlier this week and Sharpe said it was the fulfilment of a long-held ambition.
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“It is great that everyone is so supportive and have been looking forward to us refereeing but from a personal perspective it is a goal I have been working towards and something I have wanted to achieve in my career,” Sharpe said.
“I was lucky enough to referee in the NRL a couple of years ago but since the change to the refereeing system I have had to start that process again and work towards trying to get back in the middle in the NRL again.
“Myself and Kasey have been in the game for a fair while and I think people appreciate the level we are at now.
“I came over here looking forward to being involved in my second World Cup and whatever opportunities that would bring, so I am thrilled that that has resulted in me getting to referee a men’s game.”
Sharpe was part of the match officials squad at the 2017 World Cup and has since refereed the 2019 Test between the Jillaroos and Kiwi Ferns plus a range of senior women's fixtures including Ampol State of Origin and NRLW Grand Finals.
“Refereeing different players and different teams present different challenges so there is a lot you learn from being involved in a World Cup,” Sharpe said.
“But it is not just about the games, it is the whole experience. We are in a camp with match officials from around the world and we are all learning from each other.
“It is exciting, and it is something completely different for us that we enjoy. Seeing the hakas and the prayers before the games and going to English stadiums that we have only seen on TV adds to the experience we are having over here.
“These are the games you work so hard to achieve, and I am sure it is going to be a great moment in my career.”
With belief growing in England about the prospects of the host nation wining the World Cup, attendances have been strong for their games, with fans singing and chanting.
Sydney Roosters lock Victor Radley will be a crowd favourite in Sheffield as his father, Nigel, is from nearby Barnsley, while fans rise to their feet in anticipation every time Knights winger Dom Young receives the ball.
“Just to be a part of any game at the World Cup is special but to be involved in a match where the host nation is playing will be pretty exciting, in terms of the crowd and the atmosphere,” Sharpe said.
“You can see how passionate the English fans are in the couple of games they have played already so I am expecting that it is going to be a great atmosphere and a great occasion.”
Sharpe will also officiate as a touch judge in the Papua New Guinea-Wales match, refereed by Gerard Sutton, while Badger will this weekend be one of the touch judges for the Tonga-Cook Islands game.