Top seven SVNS Series stars from 2025 Rugby World Cup pool stage

1. Jorja Miller, New Zealand

At just 21 years old Jorja Miller has wasted no time making her mark on the Rugby World Cup.

In New Zealand’s opening game against Spain she crossed the line twice before half-time, immediately showing why she’s been one of the most exciting young players in the game.

Bok Women scrum coach on the quality of Black Ferns

Bok Women scrum coach on the quality of Black Ferns

Her incredible pace, perfect timing and ability to spot space gave the Black Ferns the spark they needed especially with injuries forcing changes early in the tournament.

She backed it up a week later against Japan, adding another two tries to her tally. It wasn’t just the tries that stood out.

Miller’s carries constantly put the team on the front foot, across the pool stages she racked up 126 metres with ball in hand and beat six defenders, underlining her attacking threat and ability to turn half-chances into real attacking opportunities.

What’s been most impressive is how seamlessly she’s shifted from sevens to fifteens. Coming off a huge season on the SVNS circuit she’s brought the same sharp footwork and explosive acceleration into the World Cup.

In doing so she’s proven she’s not just a sevens star but a genuine force in the longer 15s format too.

Four tries in the opening three weeks is a strike rate any winger would be proud of and it’s no surprise Miller is already being spoken about as one of the standout players of the pool stages.

 

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2. Asia Hogan-Rochester, Canada

Asia Hogan-Rochester delivered one of the standout moments of the pool stages with a try that had everyone shocked.

In Canada’s 42-0 win over Wales she picked up the ball near half-way, backed herself and sliced through the defence with the kind of confidence and pace that comes straight out of sevens.

In just her second Rugby World Cup appearance she produced a solo run that was as outrageous as it was brilliant, sealing a bonus-point win and stamping her name on the tournament as a stand-out player.

She racked up more than 150 metres with ball in hand and made five clean breaks more than any other player at the World Cup so far.

It was the sort of performance that showed her ability to turn a game on its head and reminded everyone of the threat she brings when given even the smallest bit of space.

Hogan-Rochester’s background in sevens was everything behind that performance. A silver medallist at the Paris Olympics and a standout on the SVNS circuit, she’s built a reputation for speed and deadly finishing.

Those same instincts translated perfectly into the fifteens arena against Wales and Scotland proving that she can be just as lethal on the bigger stage.

3. Zintle Mpupha, South Africa

Zintle Mpupha has truly shone for South Africa during the Rugby World Cup. South Africa pulled off a stunning 29-24 win over Italy, their first ever quarter-final berth at the Rugby World Cup and Mpupha’s leadership in the midfield wasn’t just steady, it was electric.

It felt like she carried the hopes of an emerging programme every time she took the field. Her World Cup stats show she was busy doing the little things that matter – breaking lines, carrying hard and setting up the platform for South Africa’s physical rhythm.

Her presence gave structure to a team brimming with ambition and spirit. Mpupha’s impact isn’t simply in the numbers, it’s in the composure she brings under pressure and the trust teammates place in her decision-making.

She marshals the midfield through every pulse-racing minute. That blend of sevens-inspired sharpness and fifteens level poise puts her firmly among the tournament’s most accomplished crossover talents and truly a top performing sevens player in the Rugby World Cup during the pool stages.

4. Emily Lane, Ireland

Emily Lane is one of those players who might not always grab the headlines, but her influence is felt in every passage of play.

At scrum-half she’s the spark plug for Ireland, bringing tempo and vision to a team that thrives when the ball is moved quickly and with purpose.

Lane has put on the green jersey more than 40 times on the international sevens circuit, and her background shines through every time she plays fifteens.

Her speed around the ruck, ability to spot space and the accuracy of her delivery all bear the hallmarks of someone used to operating in the fast, high-pressure world of sevens.

In the pool stages she rotated between starting and coming off the bench, but each time she added energy and clarity to Ireland’s attack.

Sometimes it’s not the try-scorer who changes the game, but the player who puts others in the right positions. Someone who steadies the ship when the pressure builds and that’s exactly what Lane does.

What makes her stand out is the balance she brings. She’s quick enough to inject pace when Ireland needs it and yet calm enough to slow things down when the moment calls for patience.

5. Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, New Zealand

Portia Woodman-Wickliffe is a name that already sits in rugby folklore, but at this World Cup she’s somehow managed to elevate her legacy even further.

Coming back into the fifteens fold after years of dominating sevens she’s shown the same ruthless finishing ability that made her an Olympic champion.

She lit up the pool stages with the kind of performances only she seems capable of. Against Spain, she crossed the line to set a new World Cup try record and by the end of the pool rounds she’d pushed her tally even further.

Then came the landmark moment, her 50th test try in New Zealand colours. No other Black Fern or even All Black has reached that milestone so quickly. Fifty tries in just 30 tests is a strike rate that borders on the unbelievable.

Portia isn’t just one of the greatest sevens players of all time, she’s showing in this World Cup that she’s just as good in fifteens.

 

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6. Ayanda Malinga, South Africa

Ayanda Malinga’s journey to the Rugby World Cup is the kind of story that inspires. Growing up in Mpumalanga and later moving to Vosloorus, near Boksburg she found her love for rugby in a place where women players weren’t the norm.

Originally a fullback she switched to the wing almost by chance and that decision set her on the path to becoming one of South Africa’s brightest stars.

Malinga wasted no time making an impact at the World Cup. Against Brazil she crossed the try line twice helping the Springbok Women establish momentum early in the pool stages.

She carries with intent, accelerates at the perfect moment and breaks through defenders with a blend of strength and precision that makes her a constant threat.

What sets Malinga apart is her awareness and timing. She doesn’t just run into space, she creates it.

Her instincts on the field allow her to pull defenders out of position and open opportunities for her teammates. Every touch feels purposeful and her presence on the wing lifts the entire team.

7. Katelyn Vahaakolo, New Zealand

Katelyn Vahaakolo’s story is as compelling as her performances on the field. Growing up facing personal challenges she turned to rugby as a way to channel her energy and determination.

That journey from a difficult teenage period to becoming one of New Zealand’s most exciting Black Ferns is part of what makes her such a captivating presence in the World Cup.

On the field Vahaakolo has brought pace and flair to every game in the pool stages. Her ability to read the play and exploit gaps makes her a constant threat to opposing defences.

She’s shown an uncanny knack for breaking tackles and turning small openings into scoring opportunities. Each time she touches the ball, she has the potential to change the course of a match.

Her rise hasn’t been without effort. Years of perfecting her skills in both sevens and fifteens have given her a balance of agility and strength, making her dangerous in open space but also reliable under pressure.

Katelyn Vahaakolo is a great player to watch with 24 tries already after 18 appearances she’s definitely a sevens player to keep an eye on as a top performer throughout the Rugby World Cup.