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Portia Woodman-Wickliffe: 'Paris Olympics will be my last time playing in the black jersey'

Portia Woodman of the Black Ferns ready for action against the Wallaroos at Rugby World Cup 2021.Photo by Hannah Peters - World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images

One of the most recognisable and decorated players in world rugby, New Zealand’s Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, has announced she will retire from international rugby after the Paris Olympics.

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A fan favourite, Woodman-Wickliffe has been a star of both the sevens and XVs game for more than a decade, having an impact on and off the field.

Starting as a professional netballer, Woodman-Wickliffe was introduced to rugby through the Go4Gold programme and was part of the first Black Ferns Sevens team to play on the World Series in 2012.

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A Rugby World Cup winner in 2017 and 2022, a Rugby World Cup Sevens winner in 2013 and 2018, Olympic gold and silver medallist and Commonwealth Games gold and bronze medallist are just a few of the on-field accolades she has to her name.

A record holder in both games, Woodman-Wickliffe has scored the most tries in Rugby World Cups, with 20, most tries in a Black Ferns Test, with eight, and most tries in Sevens Series history with 256.

She was recognised by World Rugby as Sevens Player of the Year in 2015, Women’s Player of the Year (XVs) in 2017 and in 2020 was named as the top women’s sevens player of the past decade.

In a social media post, Woodman-Wickliffe reflected on her time in the black jersey.  “After 12 incredible years representing New Zealand in sevens and 15s, the upcoming Paris Olympics will be my last time playing in the black jersey.

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“Rugby has provided me more than a career, it’s given me a second wh?nau in my sisters, opportunities to see the world and experience things I never would have otherwise.?One last dance with my sisters in Paris.”

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1 Comment
J
JJB 342 days ago

That’s a shame, so need her for World Cup coming up

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C
CO 3 hours ago
Whose ship has sailed before the first All Blacks squad?

Based on last weekend there should be no Hurricanes loose forwards in the mix, they all seemed poor with the Brumbies once again fantastic at playing and executing as a team. The Hurricanes were also poor in the halves with the ten invisible and Cam Roigard trying to play up tempo, Helter skelter rugby which is what the Brumbies wanted.


Roigards passing was telegraphic with his running game and sniping non existent, Ratima also appears to be getting metronomic, devoid of flair and his ten went invisible as well.


If you can't step up at finals then you need to be punished, yes the blues were poor at times this season but they were right on either the last two games when it really matters.


CWL is a bit larger but both him and Lakai are down on size for an eight and aren't freaks like Savea. Sotutu has to be in the mix and Dalton, but only if they front this Friday night.


However six is an ongoing issue, Josh Beehre could be an answer to the lack of height in the loose forwards at Allblacks level, his driving try to ice the contest through a decent Chiefs pack was raw determination even with support.


As for the previous try being ruled out on the flimsiest of technicalities that highlighted everything wrong with the TMO, it wasn't ‘rabbiting’, his knees dropped one after the other and he then brought his shoulders forward to extend and score, big guys can do that, that's why Sotutu has to be in the mix.


Sititi looked short of a gallop and the Chiefs might be acting a bit too cute with their bench, the coach is saying all the right things but he's in the departure lounge and the signs are there that the Chiefs expected to be the best team in finals simply because they had the best bench.


They're now under the pump and the winner of this year's super final will almost certainly be whoever wins this Friday in Christchurch.

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