Deeside Rugby welcomed Hollie Davidson to the Club on Saturday, 13 January 2018. Hollie started her rugby career locally at Aboyne Academy and progressed to the Scotland International team. She moved to refereeing as injury curtailed her playing career and she is now one of only four contracted female referees in the world - a great accolade for Scottish Rugby.

Hollie spent time on Saturday talking to some of the mini and juniors who were training and took time to sign shirts. She then performed the official opening of our new equipment shed that has been built with the help of Apache North Sea as the main shed sponsor and other local businesses including Chap Construction and Midmar Timber together with several Club members helping in the build and fit-out stages. All ably coordinated by our Head of Facilities, James Cochrane.

Hollie was also presented with an honorary membership of the Club by Club President, Ian Finlayson and we hope she will come and visit when she finds time in her busy schedule to return home to Aboyne.

Said Hollie: "It was great coming down at the weekend; you are doing amazing things with the club! To see so many faces playing and enjoying rugby is wonderful."

15 January 2018

Notes:
Hollie is the first professional female referee in Scottish rugby history and she will make her Women's Six Nations debut in February taking charge of France v Italy. Hollie has officiated on the Women's Sevens World Series and was an assistant referee in the Women's Rugby World Cup final in August. She became Scotland's first contracted female referee in June 2017, joining four male counterparts.