Larissa Henwood
| Born | 24 January 1994 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Height | 167 cm (5 ft 6 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 74 kg (163 lb; 11 st 9 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Larissa Henwood (née Lima e Silva; born 24 January 1994) is a Brazilian rugby union player. She represents Brazil internationally and plays provincially for Counties Manukau in the Farah Palmer Cup.
Early life
Henwood was born in Brazil but moved with her family to Portugal at the age of eight.[1][2] She discovered rugby as an eleven year old in Coimbra.[3]
Rugby league career
Henwood played for the Point Chevalier Pirates based in Auckland.[2] She won the Auckland Championship and came close to representing Brazil in the delayed 2021 Women's Rugby League World Cup but tore her ACL for a second time.[2][3]
Rugby union career
Sevens
Henwood was called-up to Portugal's sevens team in 2012, but had to wait for four years to make her international sevens debut.[1][2] She decided to try out for the Brazilian sevens team preparing for the 2016 Rio Games at 18.[3] She was playing for Goianos in the Super Sevens when she tore her ACL for the first time.[3]
XVs
Henwood made her international debut for Brazil against the Netherlands in November 2024.[2]
She was forced to move to São Paulo for four months with her daughter to try to progress through the training camp to make the final squad.[1] In July 2025, she was named in the Brazilian squad for the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup in England.[4][5]
Personal life
Henwood met her husband, former Chiefs and Hurricanes Openside Flanker Sam Henwood, when they both played for Técnico in Lisbon.[1] She moved to New Zealand in 2017 to join her now-husband.[2] She gave birth to her daughter Skye in 2023.[3]
Her sister-in-law, Kate Henwood, plays for the Black Ferns.[3]
References
- ^ a b c d Graham, Josh (24 August 2025). "Meet the Brazil flanker with a Kiwi twang and rugby-playing husband who is the only mum in the squad bringing the samba swagger to the World Cup". Rugby World. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f Isaac, Francisco (6 May 2025). "Larissa Lima Henwood: The incredible journey to play for Brazil at the Rugby World Cup". www.rugbypass.com. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f Abed, Amanda (29 August 2025). "A trajetória da única mãe entre as 32 brasileiras na Copa do Mundo de rúgbi". Olimpíada Todo Dia (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 8 October 2025.
- ^ "Brazil Name Roster for 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup". Americas Rugby News. 28 July 2025. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
- ^ "Brasil anuncia lista de convocadas para a primeira participação da história na Copa do Mundo de Rugby XV - Confederação Brasileira de Rugby" [Brazil announces squad list for its first ever participation in the Rugby World Cup XV]. Brasil Rugby (in Brazilian Portuguese). 28 July 2025. Retrieved 29 July 2025.