About Vanessa Cootes
Born 1969. Vanessa Cootes is a New Zealand rugby union player.
Vanessa Cootes (born 26 July 1969) is a former New Zealand rugby union player. She played for at an international level and for Waikato provincially. She was a member of the Black Ferns 1998 and 2002 Rugby World Cup Champion squads.
Rugby career Cootes was part of the 1998 Rugby World Cup champion squad, she scored five of the Black Ferns eight tries in the final. She also competed at the 2002 Rugby World Cup in Spain.
Cootes held the Black Ferns record for the most tries scored, with 43 tries in 16 tests, and for the most points and tries scored in a match, until Portia Woodman-Wickliffe scored her 44th test try against the USA in May 2025. She scored a record nine tries against France in 1996.
She received her Black Ferns cap in 2018.
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Important facts
People in Vanessa Cootes's life
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Contemporaries
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Frequently asked questions
Who is Vanessa Cootes?
New Zealand rugby union player
When was Vanessa Cootes born?
Vanessa Cootes was born on 26 July 1969 in Hamilton.
What is Vanessa Cootes's occupation?
Vanessa Cootes is a rugby union player.
What nationality is Vanessa Cootes?
Vanessa Cootes is New Zealand.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Vanessa Cootes. https://biography.guide/vanessa-cootes/
MLA: "Vanessa Cootes." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/vanessa-cootes/.
Chicago: "Vanessa Cootes." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/vanessa-cootes/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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