Kaipo Olsen-Baker crowned World Rugby Player of the Year at 24 after landmark Black Ferns season

Kaipo Olsen-Baker was crowned World Rugby Player of the Year on Saturday evening in Christchurch, collecting the award at a post-match ceremony following New Zealand’s 36-7 defeat of France — the Black Ferns’ 10th victory of their largest season to date.

The 24-year-old No.8 did not take the field after suffering an ankle injury the previous week, but her absence from the pitch did nothing to diminish the moment as her teammates gathered around her for the presentation.

“I’m honestly lost for words,” Olsen-Baker told reporters. “I feel shocked, I feel proud, I feel emotional; I think I feel all of the emotions right now. But the first thing that comes to mind is my beautiful mum — she sacrificed a lot for me to be where I am today. I wouldn’t be the person, the player that I am if it wasn’t for her and the sacrifices she made for me.”

Olsen-Baker made her Test debut for New Zealand in 2022 and missed out on the Rugby World Cup squad later that year, but has developed into one of the game’s most influential forwards since. She joins a distinguished list of recipients that includes Sarah Hirini and Kendra Cocksedge.

“It has been a big goal of mine to receive an award like this,” she said. “I’m still so shocked because a lot of the goats have accepted this award. Hopefully it’s only up from here.”

She credited her two older sisters as her “biggest hype girls in the world” for keeping her going through a difficult period. “I had a time in my life where I lost a bit of love for rugby and I lost a little bit of self-confidence, and those two were the ones that hyped me up and made sure I kept going and never gave up.”

Olsen-Baker also used the moment to send a message to younger players. “I just want to show all of the young girls that you can dream big and no matter how big your dream is, keep going for that, because it can come true one day.”

The result completed a record-breaking campaign for the Black Ferns under new head coach Whitney Hansen, with Olsen-Baker pointing to the team’s off-field cohesion as a driving force behind their on-field success. “This team has different characteristics, and everyone just gets along so well — the vibes are definitely high,” she said.