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Rugby’s next potential superstar is not shy about articulating her hopes and dreams. “I want to change the game and I’m proud to say that. I want to do things that no one has ever done, female or male.” Nobody could ever accuse the fast-rising Jorja Miller of lacking blond ambition or the necessary self-confidence to match her rare talent.
The 21-year-old builder’s 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’s 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’s player of the year, making her the youngest winner since Jonah Lomu.
And now here she is, curled up on a sofa just outside Exeter, readying herself for the Women’s 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’s Henry Pollock is proving in the men’s game. Miller, similarly, wears No 7 but could pass for a lightning-quick three-quarter.
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.
If that sounds grandiose, so be it. Why put a ceiling on your aspirations, particularly in an era when the women’s game is crying out for rock star talent? “There is no limit,” reiterates Miller. “I didn’t really realise that was such a big statement to make [but] now I realise it’s not the same for everybody. I’m just trying to play a game that’s new, exciting and innovative. I want to change the game and be a great rugby player. I can’t do that just playing sevens.”
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. “I guess I’ve always been quite ambitious and passionate … it’s 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.”
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? “He was definitely my No 1 idol growing up and still is to this day.”
So has she ever met him? “I saw him in a coffee shop once when I was quite young but, nah, I haven’t properly met him. I’d love to one day.” In the meantime the aim is to emulate McCaw as an inspiring warrior. “He 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.”
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. “I don’t really know how I get through gaps or step people. I just love the freedom of it. When I’m playing my best rugby I’m not actually thinking about anything. I’m just playing. That freedom to really express myself is what I really love. There’s so many opportunities to be you out on a rugby field.”
For her that means wearing a pink scrunchie in her hair during games “so my grandparents can see me on TV” and admiring other players who dare to be different. “I think that’s what’s really great about women’s rugby. It’s really personality based whereas men’s rugby can be a lot about the rugby sometimes. I think it’s really cool that there are girls wearing lipstick and makeup and expressing themselves in that way.”
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Equally, though, there is no doubting Miller’s competitive edge. Dwelling on recent spectacular tries – “I don’t really watch the highlights and say: ‘Good job me’” – is not going to help the Black Ferns hit their peak when it matters. “Obviously we want to play our best rugby come finals time so seeing that build has been really exciting. We know what we’ve got.” New Zealand, she reckons, are progressing nicely.
There is, furthermore, the powerful motivation of featuring in the highest-profile Women’s World Cup final in history. Three years ago she was just another teenager in the Auckland crowd so to be involved this time would clearly mean a lot. “To play in a sold-out final at Twickenham would be pretty insane. But right now we have to focus on what’s happening now. It’s knockout time, every game matters.”
All being well she also hopes to make the next Olympics in Los Angeles and potentially, face the inaugural female British & Irish Lions in 2027. “I want to be the greatest and leave a legacy in this black jersey by being the best I can be.” Highland dancing’s loss has certainly been rugby’s gain. “I loved my dancing and they were equal for so long but there’s a career in rugby now. Then again, in dancing you don’t have to put your head into dark places and wish for the best.” Good luck to New Zealand’s dancing queen – and to anyone trying to catch her.
