It is wonderful how far a rugby whistle will take you these days. Hers is taking Roslyn Fortuin from Paarl to Hong Kong. She will be refereeing in the Women's Hong Kong Sevens this week.

She will join referees from Japan, the Arabian Gulf, China, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, England, New Zealand, Fiji, Australia, Singapore, Argentina and Canada in rugby's biggest party. Roslyn follows other women referees from South Africa who have been appointed overseas - Jenny Bentel, Kim Smit and Eugenia Daniels.

Roslyn Fortuin is a Bolander, 'n Bolandse nooi, a long way from Hong Kong. She was born in the beautiful Boland town of Paarl. After school in Stellenbosch she did teacher's training and graduated with a Higher Education Diploma, and she played rugby at a time when women's rugby in South Africa was in its infancy. Now she teaches in the beautiful Boland town of Worcester and referees rugby, a growing activity for women in South Africa.

She does not come from a rugby family though her mother played netball for Boland.

Roslyn's rugby beginning: "I played rugby for four year but I didn't see a future for myself in the sport. Mr Pekeur [the manager of Boland's rugby referees] saw the potential in me to be a good rugby referee and so I pursued it. "

Progress? "I refereed in the Boland region for two years. In my third year I got selected on the Women's Contenders Panel of South African referees and am now on the Women's National Panel."

Roslyn is currently ranked No.1 on the Women's National Panel - the top women's referee in South Africa.

Highlights? "In 2006 I refereed the final of the boys' Under-16s at the Volksrust Tournament and that year I also refereed the Final of the Women's B league in Welkom. In 2008 I refereed the final of the sub union teams in Vredenburg and in 2009 the Final of the Women's A league in Port Elizabeth. In 2009 I was the first women to referee a premier match in my province."

Refereeing men's rugby? "Almost all the time. In the Boland Rugby Union I referee only men's games."

Any inconveniences? "None."

People who have helped? "Mr Pekeur, my mentor, Neville Heilbron, Jamiel Panday, my late father, Mr Thuso, Mr Hendricks sand Shaun Veldsman."

Role models: Mr Pekeur who is the referees' manager, Mr Andre Watson who is the South African Referees' manger and Mr James my principal."

What I like about referee? "First of all to be in control of the game. Then meeting new people and their cultures, giving back to the community, being given the opportunity to referee big games with massive spectators and media coverage."

Her message? "I just want to say don't give up. Be positive and practise regularly in order to achieve your goals.

"And I want to thank my Creator."

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