Rugby
Best Women Rugby Player of All Time: Legends Ranked
Far from the days of male sporting dominance, women’s rugby has undergone a massive boom, with new competitions and greater exposure propelling female stars to prominence. The rise of the female game is partly attributed to icons like Portia Woodman and Sophie de Goede, who continue to serve as inspirations for the new generations in the sport. SportsBoom has ranked the top women rugby legends based on factors like World Cup success, career milestones, international caps, and overall influence on the game. This analysis of top female rugby players looks at their performance from a purely statistical viewpoint, as well as how they are viewed by the fans and the broader sport media.
Portia Woodman-Wickliffe is challenged by Minori Yamamoto//Getty Images
Methodology
This ranking is based on a combination of performance metrics and career achievements:
- International impact: caps, leadership roles, and contribution to national team success.
- World Cup and major titles: performance in Rugby World Cup, Six Nations, and Olympic tournaments.
- Individual recognition: awards such as World Rugby Player of the Year, Player of the Decade, or tournament honours.
- SB Score (stats-based): weighted score reflecting longevity, scoring, versatility, and influence.
The SB Market Index balances objective achievements with subjective recognition, ensuring players from different eras are fairly ranked.
SB Market Index – Best Women Rugby Players of All Time
Industry Insights (Expert recognition and historical significance)
| Rank | Player | Country | Key Achievements | Sources/Insight |
| 1 | Portia Woodman-Wickliffe | New Zealand | 2x Rugby World Cup winner, Olympic & Commonwealth gold, all-time top World Cup try-scorer | Rugby World |
| 2 | Sophie de Goede | Canada | 2025 Player of the Year, World Cup finalist, versatile second-row | Ruck.co.uk |
| 3 | Sarah Hunter | England | Most-capped England player, 2014 World Cup winner, 10 Six Nations titles | Rugby World |
| 4 | Jessy Tremouliere | France | World Rugby Player of the Year 2018, 2 World Cups, versatile back | Rugby World |
| 5 | Vanessa Cootes | New Zealand | Key in 1998 & 2002 World Cup wins, prolific wing | Rugby World |
| 6 | Emily Scarratt | England | 2014 World Cup winner, 100+ caps, top points scorer, 2019 Player of the Year | Rugby World |
| 7 | Ruby Tui | New Zealand | 2020 Olympic gold, 2021 Rugby World Cup, sevens & 15s versatility | Rugby World |
| 8 | Gill Burns | England | 1994 World Cup winner, pioneer of women’s rugby, MBE recipient | Rugby World |
| 9 | Maggie Alphonsi | England | 2014 World Cup winner, 7 Six Nations titles, first female Pat Marshall award winner | Rugby World |
| 10 | Liza Burgess | Wales | 87 caps, 4 World Cups, Hall of Fame inductee | Rugby World |
| 11 | Gabrielle Vernier | France | 2023 Six Nations Player of the Tournament, 2021 World Cup semi-finalist | Rugby World |
| 12 | Zoe Aldcroft | England | World Cup winner, captain, lineout & defensive specialist | Ruck.co.uk |
| 13 | Ellie Kildunne | England | 42 tries in 56 tests, 2024 World Player of the Year | Ruck.co.uk |
| 14 | Megan Jones | England | PWR Player of the Season, World Cup impact player | Ruck.co.uk |
| 15 | Jorja Miller | New Zealand | Olympic gold 2024, rising 15s star, game-changing versatility | Ruck.co.uk |
Sources include Rugby World and Ruck.co.uk, ensuring industry-recognised assessments of performance, influence, and awards.
SB Score (Stats-Based)
| Player | Caps | World Cups | Major Titles | Awards | SB Score |
| Portia Woodman-Wickliffe | 60+ | 2 | Olympic/Comm | 3 | 1.00 |
| Sophie de Goede | 50+ | 1 | - | 2 | 0.95 |
| Sarah Hunter | 141 | 1 | 10 Six Nations | 3 | 0.93 |
| Jessy Tremouliere | 70+ | 2 | 1 Six Nations | 2 | 0.91 |
| Emily Scarratt | 100+ | 1 | 8 Six Nations | 2 | 0.90 |
| Ruby Tui | 60+ | 1 | Olympic gold | 1 | 0.89 |
| Vanessa Cootes | 40+ | 2 | - | 0 | 0.88 |
| Gill Burns | 50+ | 1 | - | 1 | 0.87 |
| Maggie Alphonsi | 50+ | 1 | 6 Six Nations | 1 | 0.86 |
| Liza Burgess | 87 | 4 | - | 1 | 0.85 |
The SB Score is normalised to prioritise caps, major titles, versatility, and awards. The top player is normalized to 1.0.
SB Market Index (Final Ranking)
| Rank | Player | SB Score | Industry Rank | SB Market Index |
| 1 | Portia Woodman-Wickliffe | 1.00 | 1 | 4.9 |
| 2 | Sophie de Goede | 0.95 | 2 | 4.7 |
| 3 | Sarah Hunter | 0.93 | 3 | 4.6 |
| 4 | Jessy Tremouliere | 0.91 | 4 | 4.5 |
| 5 | Emily Scarratt | 0.90 | 6 | 4.4 |
| 6 | Ruby Tui | 0.89 | 7 | 4.3 |
| 7 | Vanessa Cootes | 0.88 | 5 | 4.2 |
| 8 | Gill Burns | 0.87 | 8 | 4.1 |
| 9 | Maggie Alphonsi | 0.86 | 9 | 4.0 |
| 10 | Liza Burgess | 0.85 | 10 | 3.9 |
Player Profiles & Legacy
Portia Woodman-Wickliffe
The intense New Zealand wing has a tremendous resume, including the most tries for her country in rugby union and rugby sevens.
Portia Woodman rugby achievements include two World Cup trophies and gold at the Olympic Games and the Commonwealth Games.
As one of the finest to wear the Black Ferns jersey, she is a recipient of the World Rugby Women’s Player of the Year prize twice.
Sophie de Goede
As Canada shone en route to the 2025 World Cup final, the powerful number 8 played a central role in playmaking and leadership.
Sophie de Goede rugby approach is focused on versatility, including taking goal kicks, scoring tries, and creating crucial turnovers.
Her achievements include the 2025 Player of the Year and, judging by her trajectory, will include leading the Canucks to world glory.
Sophie de Goede celebrates with teammates after winning the Player of the Year Trophy//Getty Images
Sarah Hunter
The England number 8 has been a standout for her country for years now, having captained the national team successfully for many years.
As an anchor in the second row, Sarah Hunter led the Red Roses to the 2014 World Cup and was part of their run of 10 Six Nations titles.
Having also led England to the runners-up position in the 2021 edition, she has excelled at the top consistently and has earned 141 caps.
Jessy Tremouliere
While the France fullback has not yet watched her country lift the World Cup trophy, she has been part of many memorable campaigns, including bronze finishes in the 2014 and 2017 editions.
Jessy Tremouliere’s list of personal accolades includes the 2018 Player of the Year and the Player of the Decade (2010 to 2019), as well as leading Les Bleues to the Six Nations trophy in 2014.
Emily Scarratt
The England centre was front and centre as the Red Roses clinched the 2014 World Cup title, with her tactics and vision key to their victorious campaign.
Emily Scarratt is her country’s all-time points scorer, captaining the team at the Olympic Games in 2016 and earning the 2019 Player of the Year accolade.
Ruby Tui
Among the most successful Rugby World Cup women, the outside centre has successfully bridged the gap between the sevens and 15s formats.
Ruby Tui is an Olympic gold medalist and was part of New Zealand’s 2021 Rugby World Cup win, utilising her agility, speed, and playmaking skills.
Other Legends
Vanessa Cootes, Gill Burns, Maggie Alphonsi, Liza Burgess, Gabrielle Vernier, Zoe Aldcroft, Ellie Kildunne, Megan Jones, Jorja Miller each contributed to the successes of their respective national teams and continue to inspire the next generation.
Conclusion – The Greatest Women Rugby Players
Summarising this comprehensive analysis, New Zealand’s Portia Woodman is the greatest women rugby player of all time.
Sophie de Goede, Sarah Hunter, and Jessy Tremouliere are also inspirations thanks to their successes on the global stage.
It is worth noting that each player emphasises skill, versatility, leadership, and longevity, and helped shape women’s rugby.
The SB Market Index has balanced their trophies, awards, and influence, as the female game continues its major evolution.
Bruce Douglas has more than 12 years of experience in local news media. He has worked at all levels of print and online publication, from crime and politics to photography, newspaper layout, proofreading, mentoring, sub-editing, and leading a newsroom. He played numerous sports at the school level and enjoys keeping up to date.