{"id":9641,"date":"2025-05-07T00:24:05","date_gmt":"2025-05-06T21:24:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rugby.org.il\/im-my-own-biggest-critic\/"},"modified":"2025-05-08T15:00:30","modified_gmt":"2025-05-08T12:00:30","slug":"im-my-own-biggest-critic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rugby.org.il\/en\/im-my-own-biggest-critic\/","title":{"rendered":"Breaking Barriers: Roni Kipnis Makes History as First Woman to Referee Men\u2019s State Cup Final \u2014 and She\u2019s Just Getting Started"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
This weekend, Roni Kipnis (38) is set to make history as the first woman ever to referee the Men\u2019s State Cup Final in Israeli rugby \u2014 a groundbreaking milestone in her rapidly rising career. In just a few short years, Kipnis has become one of Israel\u2019s most respected referees and has even broken onto the international stage. \u201cI feel incredibly lucky,\u201d she says.<\/p><\/p>\n\n<\/figure>\n\n
Kipnis (38) stands at the centre of the pitch, whistle in hand, her gaze focused and authoritative. Her voice is calm but firm, guiding players often twice her size. In a sport traditionally viewed as male-dominated, Kipnis has carved out a trailblazing path \u2014 and this weekend, she\u2019ll become the first woman in Israel to officiate the men\u2019s national cup final.<\/p>\n\n
Her story, from the Golan Heights to the Hebrew University in Jerusalem to top-tier European tournaments, proves that passion, perseverance, and professionalism can take anyone \u2014 man or woman \u2014 to the top of the game.<\/p>\n\n<\/figure>\n\n
From Football Dreams to Rugby Roots<\/strong><\/p><\/p>\n\n
\u201cI grew up in the Golan Heights and always loved sport, but there weren\u2019t many options,\u201d Kipnis recalls. \u201cI tried sailing, athletics, basketball \u2014 but my dream was football. And in the Golan, there was no football for girls.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
While studying communications and international relations at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Kipnis searched for a football team but came up empty. Looking for a team sport, she stumbled into a life-changing encounter with rugby. \u201cI just came to watch a women\u2019s practice to see if it was too intimidating. They immediately said, \u2018Join us!\u2019 It was love at first sight \u2014 fitness, intensity, community. I didn\u2019t even realise I\u2019d been missing it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
Not long after, she was not only playing for the Jerusalem women\u2019s team but also managing it. That same year, she was selected for the national team. After finishing her studies, she moved to Rehovot and helped form a new team alongside Hagit Solomon, a former teammate from Jerusalem. \u201cWe built the team from scratch,\u201d she says. \u201cHagit wanted to bring women\u2019s rugby to her hometown, and we were the founding group.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
Kipnis\u2019s drive helped expand the women\u2019s game in Israel from just three teams to a peak of eight. \u201cThere was a clear hierarchy \u2014 Tel Aviv always won \u2014 but it was a special, fun, supportive community. Women from all backgrounds found a home in rugby, in a sport considered traditionally male. I\u2019m so proud to be a part of that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
Though her physique didn\u2019t fit the \u2018classic\u2019 rugby mould, Kipnis saw her strength as an asset. \u201cI\u2019m not built like a flanker or centre, but I\u2019m strong, and I\u2019ve never felt inferior. I remember seeing a photo in my first season and thinking, \u2018Wow, I look tiny!\u2019 But I made it work. I could challenge bigger players. Rugby is tough, but so is life.\u201d<\/p>\n\nKipnis ahead of the Ra\u2019anana vs Yizreel match | 2024\u201325 season<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
Thrown Into the Deep End<\/strong><\/p><\/p>\n\n
After years as a player, Kipnis hit a crossroads. \u201cThe challenge wasn\u2019t there anymore. I still loved the game, but it started to feel like a burden.\u201d She decided to transition into officiating and enrolled in a referee course. \u201cIt felt like being thrown into the deep end. You don\u2019t automatically know more than a coach watching from the sidelines, and that\u2019s tough.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
She officiated her first men\u2019s match \u2014 Mammoths vs. Haifa \u2014 in March 2023 and earned her first international appointment later that year at the U18 European Championship in Warsaw. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t a surprise \u2014 it was part of a plan with Ariel [Cabral] and Jeremy [Schauder], who encouraged me to start refereeing 15s to prepare for European assignments.\u201d
\n\u201cThe tournament was an emotional rollercoaster. The game is just 14 minutes \u2014 but most of the work is between matches. Feedback, performance reviews, constant improvement \u2014 that\u2019s the real job.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
Ariel Cabral, Israel Rugby\u2019s Head of Referees, speaks of Kipnis with deep admiration: \u201cRoni is a role model \u2014 professional, determined, and always pushing herself. She\u2019s already officiated twice abroad with great success. She\u2019s shattered the ceiling. I\u2019m so proud of her.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m lucky to have Ariel and Jeremy behind me,\u201d Kipnis adds. \u201cAriel\u2019s European connections helped with my assignments. Jeremy offers constant support and feedback. This couldn\u2019t have happened without them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\nAriel Cabral at the 2024\u201325 Women\u2019s National Championship<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nJeremy Schauder in Action During a Match<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n
\u201cI feel that my presence as a woman helps defuse tension\u201d<\/p>\n\n
Kipnis notes that her gender has never led to less respect \u2014 if anything, being a woman is often a strength.<\/p>\n\n
\u201cI think women often excel at emotional control. That helps me stay calm, make sound decisions, and avoid unnecessary drama. Sometimes just being a woman on the field lowers tension and improves the game\u2019s atmosphere.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
She does highlight one key difference in refereeing men\u2019s and women\u2019s matches: \u201cIn Israel, men play 15s and women play sevens \u2014 they\u2019re very different games. That said, women are more disciplined. They don\u2019t complain or curse as much. With men, it\u2019s not just the ref \u2014 they argue with each other too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n<\/figure>\n\n
Balancing Rugby, Cybersecurity, and Motherhood<\/strong><\/p><\/p>\n\n
Kipnis works full-time in cybersecurity and raises two children with her partner, Michal Weitzman. Balancing everything requires discipline: two gym sessions, a run, and now speed drills to prepare for Europe. \u201cI also cycle to work \u2014 that helps keep me fit,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n
Her family\u2019s support is vital. \u201cI couldn\u2019t do this without Michal. Weekends are packed with games and tournaments. Her encouragement is everything.\u201d
\n
\n<\/p>\n\n
Would she want her kids to play rugby? \u201cAbsolutely. Rugby has space for everyone \u2014 tall, short, strong, quick. It teaches resilience and character.\u201d<\/p>\n\n<\/figure>\n\n
Referee. Mother. Athlete. And a Full-Time Cyber Professional<\/p><\/p>\n\n
Roni Kipnis\u2019s appointment as the first woman to referee the Men\u2019s State Cup Final marks a major milestone for women in Israeli sport. But that\u2019s not all \u2014 she has also been selected for her third assignment at a Rugby Europe tournament, this time officiating at the highly competitive Trophy division in Croatia.<\/p>\n\n
\u201cMy goal this season was to earn another European appointment and move up a tier,\u201d Kipnis shares. \u201cThat dream has come true. Now it\u2019s about getting there and delivering my very best. And if I\u2019m dreaming big, maybe one day I\u2019ll referee a women\u2019s 15s match in top-tier European rugby.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
Kipnis is fully aware of the significance of representation. \u201cIt really matters for people to see a woman with the whistle. I feel incredibly lucky to be in that position,\u201d she says. \u201cHaving women officiate in a sport still seen by many as \u2018masculine\u2019 helps reshape perspectives. It teaches players and coaches to respect authority \u2014 regardless of gender.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
Despite her growing list of accomplishments, Kipnis remains humble. \u201cAs a referee, I wouldn\u2019t give myself more than a 7 out of 10. There\u2019s always room to grow. I\u2019m my own harshest critic. I analyze my decisions, review the laws of the game \u2014 there\u2019s always something to improve.\u201d<\/p>\n\n<\/figure>\n\n
Rugby\u2019s Olympic Return: A Sign of Growth and Renewal<\/p><\/p>\n\n
Having witnessed the evolution of rugby in Israel over more than a decade, Roni Kipnis is optimistic about the sport\u2019s future. She was especially moved by the global progress, marked by rugby\u2019s return to the Olympic Games.
\n\u201cRugby has become increasingly professional,\u201d she says. \u201cIts return to the Olympics is a powerful sign of the sport\u2019s renewal and growth. I attended the last women\u2019s Olympic tournament in Paris, and it was an unforgettable experience \u2014 sitting in the Stade de France surrounded by passionate fans from around the world, all united by their love for the game.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
Kipnis is particularly inspired by the rapid rise of the professional women\u2019s game: increased investment, more broadcasts, and growing institutional support.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s a joy to watch women competing at such a high level. This progress not only improves conditions for current players but also increases visibility and inspires a whole new generation of female athletes around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n<\/figure>\n\n
shattering the glass ceiling<\/p>\n\n
From a passionate young player to a respected international referee, Roni Kipnis\u2019s journey reflects the advancement of women\u2019s sport in Israel. She\u2019s proven that authority, expertise, and passion know no gender.
\n<\/p>\n\n
As Ariel Cabral aptly put it: \u201cShe shattered the ceiling.\u201d
\nToday, Kipnis is lighting the way for the next generation of women in Israeli sport \u2014 not just as participants, but as leaders and decision-makers.<\/p>\n\n
With her eyes on the future and history already behind her, Roni Kipnis continues to blow the whistle \u2014 and lead the change whose echo will be heard long after the final whistle sounds.<\/p>\n\n
This weekend, Roni Kipnis (38) will make history as the first woman to referee the Israeli Men\u2019s State Cup Final \u2014 a groundbreaking moment for rugby in Israel and the latest milestone in her fast-rising career as a respected international match official.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":9629,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,90,27],"tags":[120,105],"class_list":["post-9641","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gallery","category-women","category----en","tag-israeli-rugby","tag---en"],"yoast_head":"\n
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