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St Helens and England hooker Tara Jones will step down from playing duties in order to join the Rugby Football League's full-time match officials squad for 2025.

The 28-year-old has refereed alongside her playing career in which she has made 93 appearances for Saints and won a Women’s Super League title, two League Leaders’ Shields and four Challenge Cups.

Sunday's defeat by the York Valkyrie in this season's Women's Super League Grand Final was her last appearance for St Helens.

Jones, who made history earlier in 2024 by becoming the first woman to referee a men's professional northern hemisphere rugby league game when Oldham took on Cornwall in League One, will become the first full-time female official since the squad's inception in 2006.

Phil Bentham, the RFL’s head of match officials, said: “It’s been a big decision for her to retire from a fantastic club and international playing career after this weekend’s Women’s Super League Grand Final.

“She’s had a brilliant season as a match official, becoming the first female official to referee Men’s League One and touch judge Men’s Super League.

“She will combine her full-time MO role with work as an ambassador for women officials, primarily focusing on the recruitment and development of a new cohort. We have seen a massive growth in the women's game and it's vital that we see similar growth in our pool of women officials."

During a stunning playing career, Jones also won 14 England caps, helping them reach the 2022 Rugby League World Cup semi-final, and also became the first woman to score a try at Wembley in a senior fixture as Saints beat Leeds Rhinos in last year's Challenge Cup final.