Lock Joanah Ngan-Woo is a key part of the Black Ferns and her performances at the World Cup will play a large role in whether they can defend their title.
Joanah Ngan-Woo is competing at her first World Cup. Photo: Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.nz
She has been a consistent member of the side in recent years but this season she's taken her game to a new level to become the premier lock in New Zealand.
The 26-year-old has been in career best form in 2022, firstly for the Hurricanes Poua and then the Black Ferns, who're undefeated so far this year.
However 2021 was a different story.
Ngan-Woo was part of the Black Ferns team that suffered four straight defeats to England and France last November.
A subsequent review into the team's culture and environment was damning and concluded that New Zealand Rugby hadn't sufficiently supported the women's high performance programme.
The head coach changed with Wayne Smith taking over from Glenn Moore.
Ngan-Woo says this season, she's been given the freedom to be herself.
"In the team now with the coaching and our culture and environment change, I guess it's the feeling of feeling valued and the new game plan is more suited to me and my skills.
"I have always played this way and now I'm allowed to."
The Hurricanes Poua new head coach, former World Cup winning Black Fern Victoria Grant, said Ngan-Woo has been on a mission since last year's northern tour.
"Coming off a tough time with the Black Ferns last year, it wasn't the greatest season. So, I think she had a bit of fire in the belly to be the best lock in New Zealand."
Joanah Ngan-Woo is an innovator on and off the field. Photo: Photosport
The Black Ferns coach Wayne Smith wants to run the big European forward packs around and use an expansive game plan requiring skill and speed.
Grant believes Ngan-Woo fits the bill.
"Her run, catch, pass is amazing. Her ability to offload in contact and dominate contact is amazing. She's really good at getting her arms free and really good around the off-load space. She's got really good footwork in open play, and good footwork before contact.
"That all aids Wayne Smith's game plan. She's a big body with a great skill set and knows how to use both of those assets.".
Ngan-Woo has a masters degree in international relations and Grant said she's a leader in all aspects.
"She has that intellect around innovating the game. She leads a lot of the discussions in how we (Hurricanes) play the game around set piece and lineouts.
"Her decision making is another area that's really good. She's very good at looking and scanning the opposition or her own team's defence and reading and reacting to pictures and what's happening in front of her really fast."
Ngan-Woo enjoys tactical side of the sport, almost as much as the physical.
"I love strategising and making some interesting and innovative moves with the lineouts. Lineouts are one of my favourite parts of the game!"
Veteran halfback Kendra Cocksedge says Ngan-Woo is often coming up with new ways to exploit the opposition, if one of her other hobbies doesn't get in the way.
"When she's not sleeping, she loves a sleep Joanah, haha. Nah she's great at the analysis side of things and she's been a fantastic player and is giving us some great front foot ball and her leadership over the past few weeks has been evident."
Ngan-Woo will be wide awake this weekend in Whangārei, where the defending champion Black Ferns, who have already qualified for the quarterfinals, play Scotland in their final pool game.