The rapid rise of rugby’s Jorja Miller
At four years old, Black Fern Jorja Miller was already charging around a rugby field with her older brother. Two decades later, she tells Metropol deputy editor Tamara Pitelen that she is chasing down Olympic medals, World Cups, and a total overhaul of how we think about women’s rugby.
Jorja Miller may now be a household name in New Zealand rugby circles, but her journey began with backyard brawls and muddy Saturday mornings at the Harlequin Rugby Club in South Canterbury, playing on her brother’s team. “I was often getting beaten up,” she laughs. “But I guess that probably shaped me.” With two older brothers, Corin and Deon, and a rugby-mad family behind her, Jorja found her footing in the game early.
Jorja’s rugby roots run deep. Her grandfather and father played for Timaru-based Harlequins seniors rugby team (her father playing more than 200 games) while her mother was a member of the South Canterbury women’s team – years before women’s rugby had even a fraction of the visibility it does now. “We’d always go and watch dad play,” Jorja says. “Our Saturdays were always rugby-heavy,” she says. “That’s just what we did.”
Outside of rugby, Jorja was also passionate about highland dancing and won a number of competitions. “I started at four and carried on through high school.” Eventually though, rugby demanded full commitment. “I loved it. I loved trying to be better.” Jorja credits her years of dancing with gifting her leg strength and agility on the rugby field.
Fast forward 17 years, and Jorja has a CV most players twice her age would envy. She claimed Olympic Gold in Paris in 2024 and was crowned World Rugby’s Sevens Player of the Year. She was named the 2024 Kelvin R Tremain Memorial New Zealand Rugby Player of the Year and was also inducted into the Timaru District Council’s Hall of Fame. In May, she was awarded South Canterbury’s best sportsperson for the second consecutive year at the 2025 Trust Aoraki South Canterbury Sport and Recreation Awards.
“It’s all kind of snowballed,” she says. Her rapid rise in the sport came with sacrifices. “I moved halfway through high school from Timaru to Christchurch Girls’ to pursue more opportunities, and then straight to the North Island after school,” she says. “It was tough, leaving family and going somewhere that I didn’t know anyone. But training with girls who are all doing the same, putting in those hours, makes it worth it when we get results on the field.”
RUCKS AND SCRUMS
Currently in camp with the Black Ferns in Wellington, Jorja’s focus is on making the 15s Rugby World Cup squad, which will be announced on
25 July. “That’s the goal,” she says. “I switched over to 15s after the sevens season to try and crack that team. Hopefully, I can help win a World Cup with them too.”
To state the obvious, Jorja is fiercely driven. “I’ve only been playing internationally for a few years, so there’s still a lot more I want to tick off,” she says. That includes more Olympic golds, more World Cup glory, and a personal mission that goes deeper than medals. “My ‘why’ is to change the game,” she explains. “To bring something new, be the kind of player no one’s seen before.”
So what does “changing the game” look like? For Jorja, it’s about rewriting expectations, especially in her new role as an openside flanker. “Traditionally, they’re all about cleaning rucks and working through the middle,” she says. “I want to bring a more attacking style – chip and chase, take those edge opportunities. Just do it differently.”
Her recent switch from the high-speed world of sevens to the high-impact grind of 15s has come with its own physical shocks. “I’m used to little bodies and lots of space,” she says. “Now it’s bigger hits, bigger bodies, and big tackles – but I love that stuff. I love the dirty work. I like being an attacking threat on the edges, using a bit of a swerve to break through.”
HOME LIFE
Off the field, Jorja lives with her partner Ollie Curtis (a club rugby player himself) and their golden retriever Pablo. When she’s not training, she’s walking the dog, hanging out with friends and family, or enjoying some cheeky fried chicken. “I’m not super strict. It’s all about balance,” she says. “You’ve got to be happy.”
So what’s life like in the elite training lane? “We usually train Monday through Friday, with Wednesday as a recovery day, usually at the pool, and Saturdays you can do a session whenever,” she explains. “Sunday is completely off, which is nice.”
Despite her success, Jorja is bemused by any suggestion of fame. “I don’t think of it like that. I just play rugby. It’s not out of the ordinary. It’s just what I do.”
Have her brothers accepted their little sister’s superstar status? “They still think they’re the better rugby players,” she smiles. “But, you know, they don’t really have the stats to back that up.”
What about the future of women’s rugby? “It’s huge. The last World Cup changed everything. Now the next one’s in England, it’s just going to keep growing. It’s such a great time to be in the game.”
Quickfire with Jorja Miller
- Smoothie or coffee? “Smoothie. Tropical, please.”
- Beach training or gym? “Beach!” (But only in pre-season…)
- Favourite cheat meal? “KFC. No hesitation.”
- Teammates who make her laugh? Kelly Brazier and Portia Woodman-Wickliffe. “They’re older but hilarious – I like to prank them.”
- Pre-game ritual? “None. I just chill with the team.”
- Pet? Pablo, a golden retriever.
- Partner? Ollie Curtis, supportive, sporty, and happy to hold the fort (and the dog leash) while Jorja travels the world chasing dreams.
- Most surreal moment of your rapid rise? “Winning the Olympics last year with the girls. That has been the biggest moment of my career, definitely a highlight.”
