BLUES NAMED FINALISTS IN NZ RUGBY AWARDS

Several of our Blues players, as well as women’s head coach Willie Walker, have been announced as finalists in this year’s New Zealand Rugby Awards.

Blues teammates Braxton Sorensen-McGee and Portia Woodman-Wickliffe join Amy du Plessis (Matatū) as finalists for Sky Super Rugby Aupiki Player of the Year.

Four players are in consideration for Black Ferns Player of the Year, including Sorensen-McGee, Jorja Miller, Georgia Ponsonby and last year’s winner, Kaipo Olsen-Baker.

Woodman-Wickliffe (Ngāpuhi/Ngāti Kahu ki Whaingaroa/Ngāti Porou) earns a second nomination for the year in the Tom French Memorial Māori Player of the Year category, alongside Māori All Blacks captain Kurt Eklund (Ngāti Kahu) and Quinn Tupaea (Ngaati Tiipa, Ngaati Amaru).

Three exciting young talents are up for the New Zealand Age Grade Player of the Year with Sorensen-McGee (Auckland) in her third nomination for the year, Otago’s Dylan Pledger and Oli Mathis (Waikato).

Recognising the best from New Zealand’s national competitions, the nib Blues, Otago Spirit and Waikato are in the running for adidas National Women’s Team of the Year.

Coaches for these competitions have also been acknowledged, with Willie Walker (nib Blues), Matt Direen (Otago Spirit) and Reuben Samuel (Waikato) named as finalists in the ASB National Women’s Coach of the Year category.

The New Zealand Rugby Awards show will be broadcast on Thursday 11 December, 7.30pm on Sky Sport 1.

2025 New Zealand Rugby Awards finalists:

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)

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

New Zealand Rugby Age Grade Player of the Year
Oli Mathis (Waikato)
Dylan Pledger (Otago)
Braxton Sorensen-McGee (Auckland)

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)

New Zealand Rugby Referee of the Year
Maggie Cogger-Orr (Auckland)
James Doleman (Otago)
Ben O'Keeffe (North Harbour)

adidas National Women's Team of the Year
nib Blues
Otago Spirit
Waikato

adidas National Men's Team of the Year
Canterbury
Crusaders
Mid-Canterbury

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)

All Blacks Player of the Year
Fabian Holland
Cam Roigard
Ardie Savea
Quinn Tupaea

Black Ferns Player of the Year
Jorja Miller
Kaipo Olsen-Baker
Georgia Ponsonby
Braxton Sorensen-McGee