Rugby: Kiwi women sweep nominations for World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year award

  • 23/10/2018
Portia Woodman and Michaela Blyde are two of the nominees.
Portia Woodman and Michaela Blyde are two of the nominees. Photo credit: Photosport

New Zealand players have dominated the nominations for the World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year award.

The Black Ferns' star trio of Michaela Blyde, Portia Woodman, and Sarah Goss are the three candidates to claim the prize at the World Rugby Awards in Monte Carlo in November.

Blyde is in line for the award for a second-straight year. She scored a hat-trick in the Rugby World Cup Sevens final against France, and her 37 tries were second only to teammate Woodman.

Woodman- fresh off a hat-trick in the final of the USA Sevens - will also be looking to win the award for a second time, having received it in 2015. She's also the only player to have won the crown at both sevens and 15s levels.

Captain for the side for the last four years, Goss has led her side to an historic gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in April, tournament victories in Kitakyushu, Langford and Paris and a successful defence of the RWC Sevens crown in a run of 27 consecutive wins.

Black Ferns Sevens coach Allan Bunting says he doesn't envy the judges.

"It's fantastic that they are being recognised but I have no idea how you can separate them to find a winner," said Bunting.

"All three have different strengths and bring something unique to our team."

No All Blacks Sevens players were nominated for the men's award in a field which features the USA's Perry Baker, Australia's Ben O'Donnell, and Fiji's Jerry Tuwai.

Newshub.