Holly Wood will take charge of the Premiership Women’s Rugby Final just 86 days after giving birth, adding a major officiating storyline to Sunday’s Saracens versus Trailfinders Women decider at Twickenham Stoop.
PWR confirmed that Wood will referee her first final on 28 June, after returning to the competition at the end of May during Big Pink Weekend. The appointment comes after she gave birth to her daughter, Adaline, on 3 April.
Wood’s route into the final is as striking as the match itself. PWR said she officiated up to 20 weeks during pregnancy, worked as an assistant referee until the end of her second trimester, and has still been involved in 33 games this season.
Why Wood’s appointment matters
The final already carries weight: Saracens and Trailfinders Women meet at 3pm on Sunday, with TNT Sports and BBC iPlayer carrying the game. Saracens have named Marlie Packer as co-captain for her last match in black and red, while Trailfinders hand Kate Zackary the captaincy after their breakthrough semi-final win over Gloucester-Hartpury.
Yet Wood’s whistle gives the occasion a wider significance. She is a former Richmond and Harlequins player, has long been embedded in the women’s game, and now steps into the league’s showpiece after one of the most demanding returns in elite officiating.
The appointment also lands in a week when PWR is pushing its final as a growth marker for the domestic game. Packer’s Saracens farewell, Trailfinders’ first final and Wood’s return-to-refereeing timeline now sit inside the same 80 minutes.
THIS IS IT
The PWR Final is coming up #PWR pic.twitter.com/u2IesOttpH
— Premiership Women’s Rugby (@ThePWR) June 26, 2026
For a final built around firsts, farewells and pressure, Wood’s role may be the clearest statement of all: PWR’s biggest stage is now carrying stories beyond the two squads.
