Sign up to FREE email alerts from Mirror - Rugby Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Australian Belinda Sleeman is set to become the first female official in Rugby League World Cup history.

She has been named as part of the 26-strong list to go to Australia for the tournament which begins on October 27.

It includes a strong contingent from these shores, with the officials being named exclusively from Super League and the NRL for the first time.

The group was chosen by head of officiating Tony Archer and Steve Ganson from the Rugby Football League.

(Image: Getty Images AsiaPac) (Image: Getty Images AsiaPac)

From Super League, James Child, who refereed Saturday's Grand Final, is joined by Ben Thaler, Robert Hicks, Scott Mikalauskas and Liam Moore.

Video ref Phil Bentham will also make the trip, as will touch judges Mark Craven and Chris Kendall.

Former Super League refs Tim Roby and Ashley Klein, now plying their trade in the NRL, are also part of the group.

Sleeman was the first woman to officiate in a rugby league Test when she touch judged Fiji vs Tonga in May.

(Image: Rex Features)

She and Kasey Badger were the first female officials designated to a finals match last month when they presided over the NRL decider between Manly and Penrith.

On the same weekend, Bibiana Steinhaus became the first female referee to take charge of a Bundesliga fixture, while Alhambra Nievas and Joy Neville are set to referee men's international rugby union this year.

Aussie Claire Polosak became the first woman to stand as an umpire in a men's domestic cricket fixture on Sunday when she was one of the two on-field officials for the clash between New South Wales and a Cricket Australia XI.