Rugby\u2019s next potential superstar is not shy about articulating her hopes and dreams. \u201cI want to change the game and I\u2019m proud to say that. I want to do things that no one has ever done, female or male.\u201d Nobody could ever accuse the fast-rising Jorja Miller of lacking blond ambition or the necessary self-confidence to match her rare talent.<\/p>\n
The 21-year-old builder\u2019s daughter from the South Island of New Zealand is also not the sort to sit around patiently twiddling her thumbs. Already she is her country\u2019s youngest Olympic gold medallist and has been voted the best sevens player in the world. Last year, aged only 20, she was named New Zealand\u2019s player of the year, making her the youngest winner since Jonah Lomu.<\/p>\n
And now here she is, curled up on a sofa just outside Exeter, readying herself for the Women\u2019s Rugby World Cup knockout stages. The Black Ferns are about to face South Africa in the quarter-finals and the dynamic Miller, who once combined rugby with competitive highland dancing, is their not-so-secret weapon. Players who can run like a back and graft like a forward are gold dust, as England\u2019s Henry Pollock is proving in the men\u2019s game. Miller, similarly, wears No 7 but could pass for a lightning-quick three-quarter.<\/p>\n
As anyone who watched her claim her tries against Spain and Japan in the pool stages can attest, she also has razor-sharp rugby instincts. The Black Ferns boast some hugely impressive individuals, from the ageless Portia Woodman-Wickliffe to teenage whiz-kid Braxton Sorensen-McGee, but Miller could just be a player who opens the eyes of both sexes to fresh possibilities on a rugby field.<\/p>\n
If that sounds grandiose, so be it. Why put a ceiling on your aspirations, particularly in an era when the women\u2019s game is crying out for rock star talent? \u201cThere is no limit,\u201d reiterates Miller. \u201cI didn\u2019t really realise that was such a big statement to make [but] now I realise it\u2019s not the same for everybody. I\u2019m just trying to play a game that\u2019s new, exciting and innovative. I want to change the game and be a great rugby player. I can\u2019t do that just playing sevens.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jorja Miller has the unique talent of being able to run like a back and graft like a forward. Photograph: Tom Jenkins\/The Guardian<\/p>\n
When she went public with her wishlist in the NZ documentary series Triple Threat, aired in the buildup to the World Cup, there were a few raised eyebrows. Miller, though, has felt that way since she was a young girl outperforming every boy in her teams. \u201cI guess I\u2019ve always been quite ambitious and passionate \u2026 it\u2019s kind of driven me along. It was always instilled in me and my brothers from a young age to work hard and chase your dreams.\u201d<\/p>\n
And while her dad, Craig, who played over 200 first-team games for Timaru Harlequins, was clearly a role model, so was a certain Richie McCaw, brought up just over an hour from her own home town. If he could wear the black No 7 jersey with distinction, why not her? \u201cHe was definitely my No 1 idol growing up and still is to this day.\u201d<\/p>\n
So has she ever met him? \u201cI saw him in a coffee shop once when I was quite young but, nah, I haven\u2019t properly met him. I\u2019d love to one day.\u201d In the meantime the aim is to emulate McCaw as an inspiring warrior. \u201cHe would be battered, bruised and broken but he would still play the whole game. I really aspired to that kind of hard work and the way he carried himself.\u201d<\/p>\n
It is her attacking zest, though, that presently sets Miller apart. She is convinced the nifty footwork of her dancing days is a handy advantage. \u201cI don\u2019t really know how I get through gaps or step people. I just love the freedom of it. When I\u2019m playing my best rugby I\u2019m not actually thinking about anything. I\u2019m just playing. That freedom to really express myself is what I really love. There\u2019s so many opportunities to be you out on a rugby field.\u201d<\/p>\n
For her that means wearing a pink scrunchie in her hair during games \u201cso my grandparents can see me on TV\u201d and admiring other players who dare to be different. \u201cI think that\u2019s what\u2019s really great about women\u2019s rugby. It\u2019s really personality based whereas men\u2019s rugby can be a lot about the rugby sometimes. I think it\u2019s really cool that there are girls wearing lipstick and makeup and expressing themselves in that way.\u201d<\/p>\n
skip past newsletter promotion<\/a><\/p>\n The latest rugby union news and analysis, plus all the week’s action reviewed<\/p>\n Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. If you do not have an account, we will create a guest account for you on theguardian.com<\/a> to send you this newsletter. You can complete full registration at any time. For more information about how we use your data see our Privacy Policy<\/a>. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy<\/a> and Terms of Service<\/a> apply.<\/p>\n after newsletter promotion<\/p>\n Jorja Miller and Braxton Sorensen-McGee are two of New Zealand\u2019s brightest young talents. Photograph: Phil Mingo\/PPAUK\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n Equally, though, there is no doubting Miller\u2019s competitive edge. Dwelling on recent spectacular tries \u2013 \u201cI don\u2019t really watch the highlights and say: \u2018Good job me\u2019\u201d \u2013 is not going to help the Black Ferns hit their peak when it matters. \u201cObviously we want to play our best rugby come finals time so seeing that build has been really exciting. We know what we\u2019ve got.\u201d New Zealand, she reckons, are progressing nicely.<\/p>\n