The Olympic Gold medal-winning Black Ferns Sevens have swept the New Zealand Rugby Awards in 2024.
The team claimed the New Zealand Team of the Year, Cory Sweeney the New Zealand Coach of the Year and Jorja Miller received the prestigious Kelvin R Tremain Memorial Player of the Year title on Thursday night in Auckland.
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Miller became the second-youngest recipient of the Player of the Year gong in its 30-year history (behind just All Blacks legend Jonah Lomu), another piece of history for the Timaru native, after becoming New Zealand’s youngest women's gold medallist at the Paris Olympics.
Sweeney’s nod was his fifth time claiming the title, 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 Domestic Men’s and Women’s Team of the Year, 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 Domestic Men’s Coach of the Year.
Weeks after receiving the World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year award, Wallace Sititi was recognised as the All Blacks Player of the Year.
Fellow All Blacks forward Tyrel Lomax (Ngāi Tuhoe, Muaupoko) took out the hotly-contested Tom French Memorial Māori Player of the Year.
All Blacks Sevens captain Dylan Collier rounded out 2024 with the Richard Crawshaw Memorial 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.
Other domestic winners were Tasman’s Timoci Tavatavanawai and Whanganui’s Alekesio Vakarorogo, winning the Duane Monkley Medal (NPC) and Ian Kirkpatrick Medal (Heartland Championship) player of the year honours, respectively.
Waikato FPC coach James Semple was recognised for his premiership-winning efforts with the Domestic Women’s Coach of the Year, while Auckland midfielder Xavi Taele received the New Zealand Rugby Age-Grade Player of the Year.
Dunedin’s Green Island Rugby Football Club received the Rugby Club of the Year, Putāruru’s Conor Croke the Charles Monro Rugby Volunteer of the Year and Erin Rayner from Sense Rugby the Te Hāpai New Zealand Rugby Community Impact Award.
After becoming New Zealand’s most-capped international match official, Ben O’Keeffe won the New Zealand Rugby Referee of the Year for the fourth year in a row.
The New Zealand Rugby Players’ Association Kirk Award was awarded to All Blacks great Dan Carter, while Ian Kirkpatrick was recognised for his outstanding service to the game with the Steinlager Salver.
“Congratulations to all the winners and nominees this year," said NZ Rugby CEO Mark Robinson.
“There is no doubt the gold medal at the Olympics for the Black Ferns Sevens at the Olympics was a real highlight, so the recognition for Jorja, Cory and the team is thoroughly deserved this evening.
“We had a great year in the community game, with growth across the board in registrations. Seeing the stories of some of our game’s unsung heroes tonight really highlights the heart of rugby.”
YOUNGEST PLAYER OF THE YEAR WINNERS
1995 Jonah Lomu (20 years old)
2024 Jorja Miller (20 years old)
2004 Dan Carter (22 years old)
2003 Richie McCaw (22 years old)
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
Steinlager Salver– 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)
Domestic Men’s Coach of the Year
Vern Cotter (Blues)
Domestic 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
Domestic Men’s Team of the Year
Blues
Domestic 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