2025 NZ Rugby Awards: Ardie Savea’s Player of the Year prize caps a dominant year

Savea will miss the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season due to a sabbatical in Japan, but will be back for the start of the Nations Championship in July.

Meanwhile, young Black Ferns star Braxton Sorensen-McGee added two more awards to her trophy cabinet to complete a stunning debut season.

After being announced as World Rugby’s Women’s 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year, the 19-year-old was named as Black Ferns Player of the Year and New Zealand Age Grade Player of the Year.

Braxton Sorensen-McGee during the Rugby World Cup. Photo / Getty Images

Portia Woodman-Wickliffe also took home multiple awards; recognised as the Sky Super Rugby Aupiki Player of the Year and, for the first time in her storied career, named the Tom French Memorial Māori Player of the Year.

It was also a big night for the Black Ferns Sevens and their coach Cory Sweeney, taking out the adidas New Zealand Team of the Year and Coach of the Year awards, having also won those categories in 2024.

Sweeney becomes the most successful coach in this category, having now been named the top coach in the country six times.

Jorja Miller adds Black Ferns Sevens Player of the Year to her World Rugby Women’s Sevens Player of the Year title, while new All Blacks Sevens captain Tone Ng Shiu was acknowledged as Richard Crawshaw Memorial All Blacks Sevens Player of the Year.

Rob Penney and Willie Walker were acknowledged as national men’s and women’s Coach of the Year respectively, while their championship-winning teams, Crusaders and Blues, took home the men’s and women’s National Team of the Year awards.

Coach Rob Penney with the Super Rugby Pacific trophy. Photo / George Heard

After taking control of a Rugby World Cup semi-final match, Maggie Cogger-Orr was named as New Zealand Rugby Referee of the Year for the first time.

Former international players Sam Whitelock and Les Elder were honoured with the New Zealand Rugby Players’ Association Kirk Award, acknowledging their service to their fellow players through their long tenures on the New Zealand Rugby Players Association Board.

“What’s great about the New Zealand Rugby Awards is being able to celebrate every level of the game – elite players, emerging stars, referees, amateurs and our grassroots game,” Robinson said.

“To see community rugby volunteers and clubs acknowledged right alongside our professional players shows how special rugby is right around the country.”

NZ Rugby Award finalists and winners (in bold)

Sky Television Fans Try of the Year

Lucas Casey (Otago)

Matt Fleming (Westlake Boys High School)

Damian McKenzie (All Blacks)

New Zealand Rugby Referee of the Year

Maggie Cogger-Orr (Auckland)

James Doleman (Otago)

Ben O’Keeffe (North Harbour)

Charles Monro Rugby 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)

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)

Te Hāpai New Zealand Rugby Community Impact Award

Cian Byrne-Hansen (Counties Manukau)

Peter Hastings (Bay of Plenty)

Sosoli Talawadua (Whanganui)

New Zealand Rugby Age Grade Player of the Year

Oli Mathis (Waikato)

Dylan Pledger (Otago)

Braxton Sorensen-McGee (Auckland)

NZRPA Kirk Award

Sam Whitelock and Les Elder

Steinlager Salver – outstanding contribution to New Zealand Rugby

Luke Crawford

Ian Kirkpatrick Medal (Bunnings Warehouse Heartland Championship Player of the Year)

Declan McCormack (Mid Canterbury)

Keanu Taumata (Poverty Bay)

Sam Walton-Sexton (Wairarapa Bush)

Duane Monkley Medal (Bunnings Warehouse NPC Player of the Year)

Sam Darry (Canterbury)

Folau Fakatava (Hawke’s Bay)

Josh Jacomb (Taranaki)

Fiao’o Fa’amausili Medal (Farah Palmer Cup presented by Bunnings Warehouse Player of the Year)

Taufa Bason (Auckland)

Grace Houpapa-Barrett (Waikato)

Holly Williams (North Harbour)

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)

ASB New Zealand Coach of the Year

Cory Sweeney (Black Ferns Sevens)

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 (Matatū)

Braxton Sorensen-McGee (Blues)

Portia Woodman-Wickliffe (Blues)

Tom French Memorial Māori Player of the Year

Kurt Eklund (Ngāti Kahu)

Quinn Tupaea (Ngaati Tiipa, Ngaati Amaru)

Portia Woodman-Wickliffe (Ngāpuhi/Ngāti Kahu ki Whaingaroa/Ngāti Porou)

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

Black Ferns Player of the Year

Jorja Miller

Kaipo Olsen-Baker

Georgia Ponsonby

Braxton Sorensen-McGee

All Blacks Player of the Year

Fabian Holland

Cameron Roigard

Ardie Savea

Quinn Tupaea

Adidas National Men’s Team of the Year

Canterbury

Crusaders

Mid-Canterbury

Adidas National Women’s Team of the Year

Blues

Waikato

Otago Spirit

Adidas New Zealand Team of the Year

Black Ferns Sevens

Kelvin R Tremain Memorial Player of the Year

Ardie Savea