'She runs over, through & round you' - meet New Zealand star Miller

Before nan property of 21, Jorja Miller had already go an Olympic champion and been voted nan champion sevens subordinate successful nan world.

With lethal acceleration, power, footwork, and offloading skills, nan 21-year-old has established herself arsenic a sensational athlete.

Having played successful boys' teams from nan property of 4 to 13, Miller wasted nary clip making an effect successful sevens erstwhile she moved to Christchurch Girls' High School.

After starring astatine New Zealand's prestigious nationalist secondary schoolhouse rugby sevens tourney successful 2019, nan dream of pulling connected nan achromatic jersey seemed only a matter of time.

That sevens debut came astatine nan Rugby World Cup Sevens successful 2022, and by nan extremity of her first season, she was named World Rugby's Rookie of nan Year - an accolade made moreover much awesome fixed her betterment from early wounded setbacks aft joining nan squad.

In 2024, astatine conscionable 20 years old, Miller won nan Player of nan Year grant for New Zealand's apical rugby subordinate - nan youngest victor since Jonah Lomu.

A golden badge successful Paris pinch nan New Zealand sevens squad followed past year, making Miller her country's youngest-ever Olympic champion.

And conscionable arsenic her sevens profession skyrocketed to nan top, a akin way is now being paved successful XVs.

Her first headdress came earlier this twelvemonth pinch her effect instant arsenic she started astatine open-side flanker successful a 79-14 thrashing of nan United States.

"Coming into 15s I wanted to put my manus up for nan World Cup, but disconnected nan backmost of nan Olympics I didn't cognize really I'd go," Miller told BBC sport.

"I sewage utilized to nan sevens crippled and I consciousness nan measurement I played really suited that. With much players it was going to beryllium different."

However, possibly not excessively different as, having made her measurement into nan World Cup squad, her debut successful nan title was characteristically eye-catching.

Facing Spain, nan shot recovered its measurement to Miller, who was lurking retired wide - a dummy, measurement and a searing break was quickly vanished by nan flanker.

A 2nd effort came minutes later, different 2 tries past came against Japan - 1 of which came from a breakdown bargain earlier racing away.

"She's for illustration 1 of those PlayStation games, but you can't timepiece her because it's conscionable impossible," New Zealand backmost Kelly Brazier said aft nan Spain game.

"No matter what you do, she finds a measurement retired of it and having to effort and take sides her astatine seven, she conscionable runs complete you, done you, information you."

A accepted backmost statement guardant would not usually person nan beingness attributes of nan world's champion extracurricular backs.

But pinch nan crippled evolving, Miller, who puts her explosive footwork down to her younger years Highland dancing, defies nan norm.

"Everyone will person their opinions 'oh you are not a existent forward' aliases I don't deed rucks hard," a assured Miller said.

"That is maine because I want to alteration nan crippled and playing for illustration a backmost sometimes is really I do that.

"That will look nevertheless it looks. It is thing that is ever evolving."

Miller continued her good shape successful a destructive show connected Sunday successful Brighton arsenic nan world champions sealed apical spot successful Pool C by hammering Ireland.

The reward is simply a quarter-final successful Exeter connected Saturday against rivals South Africa, who qualified for nan knockout stages for nan first time.

It is not each astir item reel moments for Miller, building squad civilization by learning disconnected knowledgeable winners is of peculiar interest.

One of those, New Zealand helping Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, came retired of status to effort and triumph nan World Cup for nan 3rd clip successful row.

Miller says some Brazier, a two-time world champion, and Woodman-Wickliffe person taught her "so much" astir creating values, civilization and a winning environment.

"Everyone sees Portia arsenic this GOAT [greatest of all-time] and she is astonishing but she has ne'er stopped learning," Miller added.

"She is nan first to admit if she did thing incorrect aliases inquire for help. She moreover asked maine for help. I emotion that want to study and grow, I respect it."

Having mentors to further style Miller's typical talent makes nan flanker a scary force successful nan knockout stages.

However, nan prima successful New Zealand has ever been nan team. Despite wanting to alteration nan game, Miller is nary different.

"[Individual] accolades are not what I measurement occurrence off, they are bully but we are successful a squad sport. What does it really really mean? Does it matter?" she added.

"For maine it is astir legacy, coming into sevens I was fortunate capable to spot what that looks like.

"I want to support building connected that and increasing that.

"We are successful a bully spot wherever location are young girls coming through. I want to show [them] what I was shown."