The goal-kicker had collected six World Sevens Series titles by the age of 25
Who is Tyla Nathan-Wong: Ten things you should know about the New Zealand Sevens International
Tyla Nathan-Wong is an accurate goal-kicker for New Zealand.
She boasts vast experience on the international sevens circuit and has been part of several successful Black Ferns teams.
Ten things you should know about Tyla Nathan-Wong
1. Tyla Nathan-Wong was born on 1 July 1994. Of Maori descent, she identifies with the Ngapuhi tribe.
2. A versatile athlete, Nathan-Wong also excelled in taekwondo, football and cross-country during her youth. She even represented New Zealand in touch rugby and tag football before the end of her teenage years.
3. Nathan-Wong was part of the New Zealand side that won its first Sevens World Cup in 2013.
Nathan-Wong signs autographs after 2013 World Cup win (Getty Images)
4. She was named New Zealand’s Women’s Sevens Player of the Year in 2015 after scoring 126 points in the Black Ferns’ victorious World Sevens Series campaign.
5. She won a second World Cup in 2018, scoring the second-most points in the tournament as New Zealand defended their crown.
6. After topping the points-scoring charts during the 2018/19 World Sevens Series, Nathan-Wong was nominated for the World Rugby Women’s Sevens Player of the year. Yet, it was team-mate Ruby Tui that claimed the accolade.
7. She was an ever-present as New Zealand dominated the early years of the Women’s Sevens Series, featuring in each of the first eight seasons following her debut in the 2012/13 season. The Black Ferns won the title in six of those campaigns.
8. Nathan-Wong won silver at the 2016 Olympics before going one better in Tokyo five years later, notching a try and three conversions as New Zealand beat France in the gold medal game.
9. Nathan-Wong was permitted to play XVs in December 2021, when the Blues confirmed her as a signing for the inaugural season of Super Rugby Aupiki. The Auckland franchise could only manage a third-place finish in the four-team tournament, though.
10. She was part of the New Zealand squad for the Langford Sevens in April 2022, as the Black Ferns returned to the international circuit for the first time since before the Covid-19 pandemic.
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