Women’s nominees for World Rugby Awards paving the way

SPOTLIGHT: As World Rugby confirmed the 2024 World Rugby Awards nominations, we look at the women leading the charge in a year that saw people waking up to the quality of women’s rugby.

More than a quarter of the overall playing population is now female, and there has been a 28 percent increase in registered players since 2017.

Women’s rugby is one of the sport’s great success stories, experiencing unprecedented growth worldwide and representing the single greatest opportunity for growth in the next decade.

We look at the nominees in the Women’s categories and who we can expect to see grace the iconic Salle des Etoiles in Monaco where another icon, H.S.H Princess Charlene, will host the star-studded event.

New Zealand’s Olympic gold medal-winning Sevens Team is leading the charge.

Michaela Blyde, who won the award in 2017 and 2018, scored 10 tries in New Zealand’s Olympic Games win and another 53 tries in the SVNS series, and Jorja Miller, who shared in both the defence of New Zealand’s Olympic title and the SVNS series are two of the three nominees for the Women’s Sevens Player of the Year.

Australian Maddison Levi is the third nominee.

Black Ferns’ flyhalf, Hannah King, has been nominated as one of four Women’s 15s Breakthrough Players of the Year. She was introduced to Test rugby this year and, in seven games, scored 14 points and made the five-eighths position her own.

England’s Maddie Feaunati, Australia’s Caitlyn Halse, and Ireland’s Erin King are the other nominees.

The Black Ferns are also represented in the International Rugby Players Women’s 15s Try of the Year for Georgia Ponsonby’s try scored against Australia. That came after Sylvia Brunt made a stunning break before the ball moved through the hands of Iritana Hohaia and Amy du Plessis before Ponsonby scored. Tries scored by Italy, France, and Australia also feature among the nominees.

WOMEN’S 15S

World Rugby Women’s 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year

Caitlyn Halse (AUS)
Maddie Feaunati (ENG)
Erin King (IRE)
Hannah King (NZL)

Four players who have had a remarkable impact during their first year in the international game. Caitlyn Halse became the youngest Australian – male or female – to play test rugby when she won her first cap at 17 years, 242 days old in May and was an ever-present as the Wallaroos won WXV 2. Maddie Feaunati, meanwhile, helped England to a Women’s Six Nations and WXV 1 double in 2024 and has looked at home in a ridiculously talented Red Roses back row. Another flanker, Olympian Erin King was Ireland’s match-winner against New Zealand in September, while namesake Hannah has made the Black Ferns’ number 10 jersey her own, scoring 14 points in seven matches.

Ellie Kildunne from within her own half 💨

It’s just what she does 🤠#PWR | @ThePWR | @HarlequinsWomen pic.twitter.com/rwVeaoeifk

— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) October 29, 2024

World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year

Pauline Bourdon Sansus (FRA)
Ellie Kildunne (ENG)
Alex Matthews (ENG)
Alex Tessier (CAN)

Two players from England’s all-conquering Red Roses and one each from France and Canada make up the list. Ellie Kildunne has become the face of John Mitchell’s England as they prepare for their home Women’s Rugby World Cup, scoring 14 tries in only 10 tests this year. Number eight Alex Matthews has not been far behind her, though, and led England to victory in her first match as captain, against the USA in September. Pauline Bourdon Sansus, meanwhile, continues to be the driving force for France, starting eight of Les Bleues’ nine matches in 2024. A key part of Canada’s World Rugby Pacific Four Series success, Alex Tessier scored 22 points at WXV 1 as the hosts pushed England all the way.

Georgia Ponsonby has lit up the field for New Zealand 🇳🇿 🔥 #WorldRugbyAwards pic.twitter.com/drEvABYHlj

— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) November 18, 2024

International Rugby Players Women’s 15s Try of the Year

Alyssa D’Incà (Italy v Scotland, Women’s Six Nations, 20 April)
Georgia Ponsonby (New Zealand v Australia, Pacific Four Series, 25 May)
Maya Stewart (Australia v Wales, WXV, 28 September)
Marine Ménager (France v Canada, WXV, 29 September)

One try each from the Women’s Six Nations, World Rugby Pacific Four Series, WXV 1 and WXV 2 make up this year’s nominees. Playing in the centre against Scotland in April, Alyssa D’Incà displayed all her try-scoring nous to hit a brilliant line and slice through a defence that had been pulled out of shape. She then showed composure to step inside two players and score. Georgia Ponsonby’s try against Australia in May had it all, from Sylvia Brunt’s stunning break, leaving defenders strewn in her wake, to the hands of Iritana Hohaia and Amy du Plessis and the finish from the hooker.

The first offering from WXV was scored by Maya Stewart against Wales. Receiving the ball inside her own half, the Wallaroos winger burst through two tackles and then slalomed past another three on her way to the line. The following day in Vancouver, Lina Queyroi and Marine Ménager caught the Canada defence napping. After a stunning 50:22, Queyroi found the winger with a quick lineout and Ménager did the rest.

Michaela Blyde scoring banging tries! It’s what she does ✨#HSBCSVNS pic.twitter.com/xcdfkgu1if

— HSBC SVNS (@SVNSSeries) September 27, 2024

World Rugby Women’s Sevens Player of the Year in partnership with HSBC

Michaela Blyde (NZL)
Maddison Levi (AUS)
Jorja Miller (NZL)

The three-player shortlist features two women who were nominated 12 months ago, Michaela Blyde and Maddison Levi, alongside Black Ferns Sevens star Jorja Miller. Levi scored a scarcely believable 69 tries – including a hat-trick in the HSBC SVNS Grand Final victory against France – during the 2024 series and followed that up with another 14 at the Olympic Games in Paris. Blyde and Miller were both standout performers in the New Zealand team that defended their Olympic title at Paris 2024, having finished the SVNS regular season as League Winners. Blyde, who won this award in 2017 and 2018, scored 53 SVNS tries and a further 10 at the Games, both totals second only to Levi.