‘Once in a lifetime player’: Black Ferns star Jorja Miller scores double on Women’s Rugby World Cup debut
Monday, 25 August 2025
It didn’t take long for Jorja Miller to make her mark on the Women’s World Rugby Cup.
The sevens superstar scored two tries inside the first opening 17 minutes to power the Black Ferns to a comfortable 54-8 victory over Spain in their first game of group C, in York on Monday (NZT).
World Rugby’s sevens player of the year has been recruited by the Black Ferns after leading New Zealand to a gold medal at the Paris Olympics last year.
Miller made the transition back to 15s look seamless, scoring three tries in as many tests, including two on her World Cup debut.
But it was another statistic which highlighted the 21-year-old flanker’s brilliance with the ball in hand against Spain.
Miller beat 11 defenders during the game, more than any other player during the opening round, which is particularly impressive as she only played the first half.
New Zealand Rugby’s player of the year last year was withdrawn with the Black Ferns holding a commanding 21-3 halftime lead.
“She’s a once in a lifetime player,” two-time World Cup-winning former Black Fern and Sky Sport panelist Charmaine McMenamin said during the broadcast.
Miller did most of the damage herself, scoring the first two tries, four minutes apart.
She broke the game open with a show and go in the 14th minute, throwing a dummy to her left and cutting inside to beat two Spanish defenders on the 22-metre line.
Miller sprinted into open space before breaking two tackles to score.
It was an early contender for try of the tournament and evoked memories of her spectacular effort in her previous match, when she caught the ball from an Australia drop out and beat several defenders to score.
'She’s a special player,“ coach Allan Bunting said after the game.
“She’s got a core role to do but she’s someone who can see opportunities and take them, and she’s got a licence to do that.”
The second try against Spain was much more straightforward.
Lurking on the right edge, Miller benefited from an overlap to run through untouched following a simple draw and pass from 18-year-old winger Braxton Soresen-McGee in the 17th minute.
“I was stoked that it happened twice actually,” Miller said.
“The first one was nice just to get the ball early and have a bit of freedom. And then we just needed to grow momentum when we have positive moments or tries and I think the girls really stepped up and did that.”
After some early jitters, the Black Ferns didn’t look back after Miller’s quick-fire double.
They ran in six more tries to begin their World Cup defence with an emphatic 46-point win, though the result was soured by a serious-looking leg injury to Kaipo Olsen-Baker, Miller’s replacement.
The Black Ferns’ next match is against Japan in Exeter next Monday.