Joanah Ngan-Woo

Joanah Ngan-Woo
Date of birth (1995-12-15) 15 December 1995 (age 28)
Place of birthWellington, New Zealand
Height1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight88 kg (194 lb)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Lock
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
Wellington (0)
Super Rugby
Years Team Apps (Points)
2022 Hurricanes Poua (0)
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2019–  New Zealand 7 (5)
Medal record
Representing  New Zealand
Women's rugby union
Rugby World Cup
Gold medal – first place 2021 New Zealand Team competition

Joanah Ngan-Woo (born 15 December 1995) is a New Zealand rugby union player. She plays Lock for the Black Ferns and was a member of their 2021 Rugby World Cup champion squad. She plays for Hurricanes Poua in the Super Rugby Aupiki competition and for Wellington provincially.

Personal life

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Ngan-Woo is of Chinese and Samoan descent.[1] Her great-grandfather migrated from China to Samoa. She took up rugby in Year 9 at St Catherine's College in 2009 and was soon promoted to the Oriental Rongotai seniors while still a schoolgirl. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Social Policy and Education from Victoria University and also completed a Masters in International Relations in 2019.[1][2]

Rugby career

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2018

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Ngan-Woo was one of 28 players who were the first to receive a professional contract with the Black Ferns.[3]

2019

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Ngan-Woo made her Black Ferns test debut against the United States on 2 July in the Women's Rugby Super Series in San Diego.[4][5] She later earned her second cap against England. Ngan-Woo scored her first international try against Australia on 10 August at Perth. The Black Ferns thrashed the Wallaroos 47–10.[6]

2021

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Ngan-Woo was selected for the Black Ferns 2021 Europe tour, she played in the second test match against England[7] and in the first test match against France.[8]

2022

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Ngan-Woo signed with the Hurricanes Poua for the inaugural 2022 season of Super Rugby Aupiki and scored the first ever Hurricanes Poua try against Chiefs Manawa in Hamilton.[9]

Ngan-Woo was named for the Black Ferns squad for the 2022 Pacific Four Series.[10] She was selected again for the two-test series against the Wallaroos for the Laurie O'Reilly Cup in August[11][12] where she scored tries in both tests.

Ngan-Woo made the Black Ferns 32-player squad for the 2021 Rugby World Cup.[13][14] She became the first ever Black Fern forward to score a first try in a Rugby World Cup.[15][16] In the World Cup final, she made the winning play as she stole the ball from England's line-out throw.[17][18]

2023

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Ngan-Woo recommitted to Hurricanes Poua for a second season.[19][20]

References

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  1. ^ a b Porter, Joe (11 December 2020). "Pasifika pride: Black Fern Joanah Ngan-Woo leading on and off the field". RNZ. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  2. ^ "Black Ferns lock Joanah Ngan-Woo determined to be the best". RNZ. 17 October 2022. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  3. ^ "Rugby career kicks off". www.wgtn.ac.nz. 26 October 2018. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  4. ^ Voerman, Andrew (24 September 2020). "Black Ferns lock Joanah Ngan-Woo fostering international relations on and off the field". Stuff. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  5. ^ "Black Ferns name side for USA match". Māori Television. 1 July 2019. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  6. ^ "Wallaroos fall to Black Ferns in series opener". australia.rugby. 10 August 2019. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  7. ^ "Black Ferns face Red Roses in second of two tests". www.sunlive.co.nz. 7 November 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  8. ^ "Black Ferns make three changes to counter 'flamboyant' France". NZ Herald. 12 November 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  9. ^ "Hurricanes Women's Squad Named in Historic Announcement". Hurricanes. 3 November 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  10. ^ "31-strong Black Ferns squad named for home June Test series". allblacks.com. 4 May 2022. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
  11. ^ "Black Ferns named for O'Reilly Cup Test series". allblacks.com. 2 August 2022. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  12. ^ Brown, Roger (15 August 2022). "2022 Laurie O'Reilly Cup Black Ferns Vs Wallaroos " When Does It Start, Live Streams And Schedule"". thedailyrugby.com. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
  13. ^ "Black Ferns squad locked in for Rugby World Cup". allblacks.com. 13 September 2022. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
  14. ^ "Black Ferns Rugby World Cup squad named". RNZ. 13 September 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  15. ^ Julian, Adam (8 October 2022). "Black Ferns open World Cup with comeback win". allblacks.com. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  16. ^ Pearson, Joseph (8 October 2022). "Rugby World Cup: Portia Woodman hat-trick rescues Black Ferns in tense opening win over Australia". Stuff. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  17. ^ Morton, Finn. "'It was a massive call… she'll go down in history, Ngan-Woo, with the likes of Stephen Donald'". www.rugbypass.com. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  18. ^ Voerman, Andrew (12 November 2022). "The try and the steal: How the Black Ferns beat England in the Rugby World Cup final". Stuff. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  19. ^ "World Cup Winning Lock Joanah Ngan-Woo Recommits to the Hurricanes Poua". www.hurricanes.co.nz. 18 November 2022. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  20. ^ "Black Ferns' World Cup final hero Joanah Ngan-Woo re-signs with Hurricanes Poua". Stuff. 17 November 2022. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
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