Kaipo Olsen-Baker named World Rugby Women’s Player of the Year
New Zealand number eight Kaipo Olsen-Baker has been named World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year for 2026.
The 24-year-old received the award in front of home supporters in Christchurch on Saturday, 31 October, straight after the Black Ferns beat France 36-7 in the final round of the WXV Global Series. Olsen-Baker did not play in the match because of an ankle injury, but she joined her team-mates on the pitch at One NZ Stadium for the presentation at full time.
Olsen-Baker beat England pair Zoe Harrison and Megan Jones, and Canada’s DaLeaka Menin, to the sport’s top individual honour. She made her Test debut for New Zealand in 2022 and missed out on the Rugby World Cup squad later that year, but she has become a central figure in a resurgent Black Ferns side, helping them win the Pacific Four Series in 2026.
Her team-mate Elinor-Plum King, 22, was named World Rugby Women’s 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year after an impressive first season in international rugby. King beat France’s Pauline Barrat, Australia’s Amelia Whitaker and the USA’s Bella Vogel to the award.
Why it matters
It is a double success for the Black Ferns, with two back-row players taking the two biggest individual prizes in the women’s game. World Rugby chair Brett Robinson said Olsen-Baker’s “consistency and influence have been outstanding throughout 2026”, while King had “made a remarkable impression in her first year on the international stage”.
The awards also underline how far the women’s game has come. Previous winners include Canada lock Sophie de Goede in 2025 and England full-back Ellie Kildunne in 2024.
What happens next
The World Rugby Women’s Awards finish on Monday, 2 November, when the Try of the Year and the Dream Team of the Year are announced. Olsen-Baker will now aim to recover from her ankle injury and build on her award-winning season in 2027.
This article is for general information and education only. It is not legal or financial advice.
Sources
- https://www.allblacks.com/news/black-ferns/kaipo-olsen-baker-and-elinor-plum-king-crowned-world-rugby-women-s-15s-award-winners-for-2026 (New Zealand Rugby, 31 October 2026)
- https://www.rugbypass.com/news/black-ferns-dominate-world-rugby-awards-as-back-row-pair-take-top-honours/ (RugbyPass, 31 October 2026)
- https://supersport.com/rugby/news/04ae4467-dd8e-4097-bd6e-8b277fa1fd9c/new-zealand-s-olsen-baker-named-women-s-rugby-player-of-the-year (SuperSport, 31 October 2026)
- https://newsatw.com/world-rugby-womens-player-of-the-year-2026-new-zealands-kaipo-olsen-baker-wins-award/ (NewsATW, reporting BBC Sport, 31 October 2026)
