women
international women
Sky Sports Commentator Rikki Swannell believes Kaipo Olsen-Baker’s form and consistency have run away with the World Rugby Women’s Player of the Year award following a unanimous vote by a seven-strong panel.
Olsen-Baker stood on the sidelines as her Black Ferns side stormed home once again for an impressive third straight win over France in New Zealand, this time in One New Zealand Christchurch Stadium.
The recently named World Player of the Year suffered a nasty calf injury against France in Whangarei two weeks ago, forcing her to be carried off at half-time, but that didn’t stop the loose forward from taking home the biggest individual honor in women’s rugby.
24-year-old Matatu had her share of challenges growing up in rugby, falling out of love with the sport during a difficult period in her career, before finding her way back to the top level.
Olsen-Baker’s Test debut came in 2022, and despite missing out on selection for the Black Ferns’ Women’s World Cup win, the loose forward has put that behind her to become one of Whitney Hansen’s most important and influential players.
I’m talking to a colleague Sky Sports Commentator Tony Johnson on Monday, Swannell revealed that it was a unanimous decision to crown Olsen-Baker with the award.
“I as I collect that of hearing Fr the trial of that, it is ruled by seven ex international players, everything really good accredited, and they are everything of differently countries,” Swannell said Sports Nation Mornings.
“That was a unanimously decision; that was a really robust and thoroughly conversation. But they were everything unanimously that How Oson-Baker was the player of the year.”
The veteran broadcaster praised Olson-Baker’s personality, which has helped her get through difficult times in her career.
“She is such a special player and a special person, How. I think about it when that award Got announced he the field he Saturday night, I think about it the reaction of to everyone species of sums up only how she is thought of.
“I means, as a player, when you think about it of the injuries that she is had, she missed out he the 2022 The world Cup when she species of burst there the scenes. She Got injured at various points of the the last one The world Cup.
“She is had some injuries. Each one time she is come back from injury, she is come back better. I think about it of the TEast against England at Twickenham, where she it is not played for a couple of weeks, and she came in, and she was absolutely dynamic.
“She is a monster with ball in hand; she will band the line everything the time. She beats defenders. like, It’s me no a massive statistics species of person. I don’t think about it they always say half the in total story, but with how her numbers are absolutely phenomenal.
“What you don’t look with the numbers is the time that she works that, the big moments that she has, and that I can swing games and swing momentum.
