Savea, Sorensen-McGee win big at New Zealand Rugby Awards

The awards season in New Zealand has recognised the country’s finest of 2025, and the name emerging above all others is once again All Blacks star Ardie Savea.

The 32-year-old earned the big prize of the night, the Kelvin R Tremain Memorial Player of the Year, the third time he has been recognised with the title. Former All Blacks flanker Richie McCaw holds the record for winning the award the most, with four.

Savea was also given the nod for All Blacks Player of the Year and Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year, completing a clean sweep for the 2023 World Rugby Player of the Year.

Teenage sensation Braxton Sorensen-McGee took home Black Ferns Player of the Year honours for her spectacular introduction to Test rugby at the Rugby World Cup, and she was also recognised with the New Zealand Rugby Age Grade Player of the Year award.

Following a short-lived international retirement earlier in the year, Portia Woodman-Wickliffe emerged from the awards evening a double-winner, recognised as both the Tom French Memorial Maori Player of the Year and the Sky Super Rugby Aupiki Player of the Year.

Having become the second-youngest ever winner of the Kelvin R Tremain Memorial Player of the Year in 2024, Jorja Miller didn’t go home empty-handed in 2025, claiming the Black Ferns Sevens Player of the Year. After another SVNS Series crown, the Black Ferns Sevens were again crowned the adidas National Women’s Team of the Year. Tone Ng Shiu took home top honours from the All Blacks Sevens program.

NZR CEO Mark Robinson said, “Congratulations to the winners and all finalists this year, being nominated in these awards is a big honour.

“Ardie has a level of consistency that is unmatched, and his three awards tonight demonstrate that. He keeps raising the bar for what’s possible on an individual level and brings his inspirational leadership to every environment. He is massively respected domestically and internationally.

“What’s great about the New Zealand Rugby Awards is being able to celebrate every level of the game – elite players, emerging stars, referees, amateurs and our grassroots game. To see community rugby volunteers and clubs acknowledged right alongside our professional players shows how special rugby is right around the country.”

New Zealand Rugby Awards finalists (winners in bold)

Sky TV Fans Try of the Year
– Lucas Casey (Otago)
– Matt Fleming (Westlake Boys High School)
– Damian McKenzie (All Blacks)

DHL Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year
– Will Jordan (Crusaders)
– Du’Plessis Kirifi (Hurricanes)
– Ardie Savea (Moana Pasifika)

Sky Super Rugby Aupiki Player of the Year
– Amy du Plessis (Matatu)
– Braxton Sorensen-McGee (Blues)
– Portia Woodman-Wickliffe (Blues)

Richard Crawshaw Memorial All Blacks Sevens Player of the Year
– Dylan Collier
– Tone Ng Shiu
– Frank Vaenuku

Black Ferns Sevens Player of the Year
– Michaela Brake
– Jorja Miller
– Risi Pouri-Lane

New Zealand Rugby Age Grade Player of the Year
– Oli Mathis (Waikato)
– Dylan Pledger (Otago)
– Braxton Sorensen-McGee (Auckland)

Bunnings Warehouse Rugby Club of the Year
– Hunterville Rugby Football Club (Whanganui)
– Rangataua Sports and Cultural Club (Bay of Plenty)
– Waimate Rugby Football Club (South Canterbury)

Charles Monro Volunteer of the Year
– Glen Devenie (Auckland Rugby Referee Association, Auckland)
– Stacey Kobus (Cambridge Junior Rugby and Community Sports Club, Waikato)
– Jodi Taylor (Strath Taieri Rugby Club, Otago)

Te H?pai Community Impact Award
– Cian Byrne-Hansen (Counties Manukau)
– Peter Hastings (Bay of Plenty)
– Sosoli Talawadua (Whanganui)

Duane Monkley Medal (Bunnings Warehouse NPC Player of the Year)
– Sam Darry (Canterbury)
– Folau Fakatava (Hawke’s Bay)
– Josh Jacomb (Taranaki)

Fiao’o Faamausili Medal (Farah Palmer Cup presented by Bunnings Warehouse Player of the Year)
– Taufa Bason (Auckland)
– Grace Houpapa-Barrett (Waikato)
– Holly Williams (North Harbour)

Ian Kirkpatrick Medal (Bunnings Warehouse Heartland Championship Player of the Year)
– Declan McCormack (Mid Canterbury)
– Keanu Taumata (Poverty Bay)
– Sam Walton-Sexton (Wairarapa Bush)

New Zealand Rugby Referee of the Year
– Maggie Cogger-Orr (Auckland)
– James Doleman (Otago)
– Ben O’Keeffe (North Harbour)

ASB National Men’s Coach of the Year
– Marty Bourke (Canterbury)
– Mark Brown (Otago)
– Rob Penney (Crusaders)

adidas National Men’s Team of the Year
– Canterbury
– Crusaders  
– Mid-Canterbury

ASB National Women’s Coach of the Year
– Matt Direen (Otago)
– Reuben Samuel (Waikato)
– Willie Walker (Blues)

adidas National Women’s Team of the Year
– Blues
– Otago Spirit
– Waikato

ASB New Zealand Coach of the Year
– Cory Sweeney

adidas New Zealand Team of the Year 
– Black Ferns Sevens

Tom French Memorial Maori Player of the Year
– Kurt Eklund (Ngati Kahu)
– Quinn Tupaea (Ngaati Tiipa, Ngaati Amaru)
– Portia Woodman-Wickliffe (Ngapuhi/Ngati Kahu ki Whaingaroa/Ngati Porou)

All Blacks Player of the Year
– Fabian Holland
– Cameron Roigard
– Ardie Savea
– Quinn Tupaea

Black Ferns Player of the Year
– Jorja Miller
– Kaipo Olsen-Baker
– Georgia Ponsonby
– Braxton Sorensen-McGee

Kelvin R Tremain Memorial Player of the Year 
– Ardie Savea