Jorja Miller wins top award at New Zealand Rugby Awards. Photo: Photosport / Jayne Russell
The Black Ferns Sevens have swept the 2024 New Zealand Rugby Awards picking up team and individual accolades.
Twenty-year-old Jorja Miller claimed the player of the year title, Black Ferns Sevens coach Cory Sweeney was named coach of the year and the Olympic champion Black Ferns Sevens were recognised as team of the year.
Miller is the second-youngest recipient of the player of the year gong in its 30-year history (behind Jonah Lomu), another piece of history for the Timaru-native, after becoming New Zealand's youngest female gold medallist at the Paris Olympics earlier this year.
Sweeney has now won coach of the year five times, equalling the record held by Sir Steve Hansen.
The Blues almost made a clean sweep of the awards they were nominated for, picking up both national men's and women's titles, Hoskins Sotutu and Katelyn Vahaakolo winning the Super Rugby Pacific and Super Rugby Aupiki player of the year awards and Vern Cotter taking home the national men's coach of the year.
All Black Wallace Sititi is tackled by Jamison Gibson-Park of Ireland during All Blacks v Ireland. Photo: Chloe Knott/ActionPress
Weeks after receiving the World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year award, Wallace Sititi was recognised as the All Blacks player of the year, while fellow All Blacks forward Tyrel Lomax (Ngāi Tuhoe, Muaupoko) took out the Māori player of the year.
All Blacks Sevens captain Dylan Collier rounded out 2024 with the All Blacks Sevens player of the year award.
A bulldozing season in black for Kaipo Olsen-Baker saw her acknowledged with the Black Ferns player of the year, while her provincial teammate Hollyrae Mete received the Fiao'o Fa'amausili Medal for her outstanding Farah Palmer Cup campaign for the Matawatū Cyclones.
Waikato FPC coach James Semple was recognised for his premiership-winning efforts with the national women's coach of the year award.
After becoming New Zealand's most-capped international match official, O'Keeffe won the New Zealand Rugby referee of the year for the fourth year in a row.
New Zealand Rugby Award winners
Fans Try of the Year: Latrell Smiler-Ah Kiong (King Country)
New Zealand Rugby Referee of the Year: Ben O'Keeffe
Charles Monro Rugby Volunteer of the Year: Conor Croke (Waikato)
Rugby Club of the Year: Green Island Rugby Football Club (Otago)
Te Hāpai New Zealand Rugby Community Impact Award: Erin Rayner (Sense Rugby NZ)
New Zealand Rugby Age Grade Player of the Year: Xavi Taele (Auckland)
NZRPA Kirk Award: Dan Carter
Outstanding contribution to New Zealand Rugby: Ian Kirkpatrick
Ian Kirkpatrick Medal (Heartland Championship Player of the Year):Alekesio Vakarorogo (Whanganui)
Duane Monkley Medal (NPC Player of the Year): Timoci Tavatavanawai (Tasman)
Fiao'o Fa'amausili Medal (Farah Palmer Cup Player of the Year): Hollyrae Merekara Mete (Manawatū)
National Men's Coach of the Year: Vern Cotter (Blues)
National Women's Coach of the Year: James Semple (Waikato)
New Zealand Coach of the Year: Cory Sweeney (Black Ferns Sevens)
Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year: Hoskins Sotutu (Blues)
Super Rugby Aupiki Player of the Year: Katelyn Vahaakolo (Blues)
Tom French Memorial Māori Player of the Year: Tyrel Lomax (Ngāi Tuhoe, Muaupoko)
Richard Crawshaw Memorial All Blacks Sevens Player of the Year: Dylan Collier
Black Ferns Sevens Player of the Year: Jorja Miller
Black Ferns Player of the Year: Kaipo Olsen-Baker
All Blacks Player of the Year: Wallace Sititi
National Men's Team of the Year: Blues
National Women's Team of the Year: Blues
New Zealand Team of the Year: Black Ferns Sevens
Kelvin R Tremain Memorial Player of the Year: Jorja Miller
