Nominees announced for 2025 New Zealand Rugby Awards

New Zealand’s finest have been recognised with nominations for the 2025 New Zealand Rugby Awards, with the shortlists for 19 of the awards announced on Friday morning.

Having announced herself to the world on the SVNS circuit over recent years, Jorja Miller’s move to the 15-aside code has resulted in a double nomination in 2025, with nods in both the Black Ferns Sevens Player of the Year and Black Ferns Player of the Year categories. Just a year ago, the 21-year-old became the second-youngest athlete to ever win the prestigious Kelvin R Tremain Memorial Player of the Year award; only Jonah Lomu won the top gong at a younger age.

Miller is joined by Michaela Brake and Risi Pouri-Lane as Black Ferns Sevens Player of the Year nominees, while Kaipo Olsen-Baker, Georgia Ponsonby, and teenage sensation Braxton Sorensen-McGee complete the list of Black Ferns Player of the Year nominees.

On the men’s side, Fabian Holland, Cam Roigard, Ardie Savea, and Quinn Tupaea have each received nominations for All Blacks Player of the Year, while New Zealand U20 star Frank Vaenuku joins veterans Dylan Collier and Tone Ng Shiu in the All Blacks Sevens Player of the Year category.

At club level, Braxton Sorensen McGee (Blues) earns her second nomination for Super Rugby Aupiki Player of the Year, joined by Portia Woodman-Wickliffe (Blues) and Amy du Plessis (Matatu) as nominees for the award. Will Jordan (Crusaders), Du’Plessis Kirifi (Hurricanes), and Ardie Savea (Moana Pasifika) have earned nominations for Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year, the latter having already been crowned MVP of the competition.

Sorensen-McGee completes a hat-trick of nominations with a nod in the New Zealand Rugby Age Grade Player of the Year category, alongside Oli Mathis and Dylan Pledger.

Quinn Tupaea (Ngaati Tiipa, Ngaati Amaru) claims a second nomination for the Tom French Memorial Maori Player of the Year, joined by Kurt Eklund (Ngati Kahu), and Portia Woodman-Wickliffe (Ngapuhi/Ngati Kahu ki Whaingaroa/Ngati Porou).

The Canterbury region dominates the adidas National Men’s Team of the Year category, with Canterbury, Crusaders, and Mid-Canterbury making up the list of nominees. On the women’s side, Blues, Otago Spirit, and Waikato are in the running for adidas National Women’s Team of the Year.

Rounding out the newly announced nominees are the categories of ASB National Men’s Coach of the Year, ASB National Women’s Coach of the Year, and New Zealand Rugby Referee of the Year.

Marty Bourke (Canterbury), Mark Brown (Otago), and Rob Penney (Crusaders) are the coaches nominated in the men’s category, while Matt Direen (Otago), Reuben Samuel (Waikato), and Willie Walker (Blues) have been given the nod in the women’s category. Maggie Cogger-Orr (Auckland), James Doleman (Otago), and Ben O’Keeffe (North Harbour) are the referees recognised for their efforts in 2025.

2025 New Zealand Rugby Awards finalists:

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)

ASB National Men’s Coach of the Year

Marty Bourke (Canterbury)
Mark Brown (Otago)
Rob Penney (Crusaders)

ASB National Women’s Coach of the Year

Matt Direen (Otago)
Reuben Samuel (Waikato)
Willie Walker (Blues)

New Zealand Rugby Referee of the Year

Maggie Cogger-Orr (Auckland)
James Doleman (Otago)
Ben O’Keeffe (North Harbour)

adidas National Women’s Team of the Year

Blues
Otago Spirit
Waikato

adidas National Men’s Team of the Year

Canterbury
Crusaders
Mid-Canterbury

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
Cam Roigard
Ardie Savea
Quinn Tupaea

Black Ferns Player of the Year

Jorja Miller
Kaipo Olsen-Baker
Georgia Ponsonby
Braxton Sorensen-McGee

Previously announced:

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 Hapai 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)