Cape Town - Aimee Barrett-Theron will become the first female referee to take charge of a Currie Cup fixture this weekend.

In a ground-breaking moment for South African rugby, Barrett-Theron will take charge of the First Division clash between South Western Districts and the Leopards in George on Friday.

Barrett-Theron is no stranger to men's rugby, having refereed in the Under-20 and Under-19 Championships, Varsity Cup, two Craven Weeks and just recently the Under-18 match between England and France.

She has wide experience of refereeing around the world and has recently decided to concentrate on XVs rather than Sevens.

"I'm really looking forward to it," Barrett-Theron said of Friday's fixture on the SA Rugby Referees website.

Kick-off is at 18:00.