Portia Woodman

Portia Woodman-Wickliffe (née Woodman) is one of the greatest players to ever wear a rugby jersey. With two Olympic gold medals and two Rugby World Cups, she’s also one of the most decorated players to ever lace a pair of rugby boots. 

Born on 12 July 1991, Woodman comes from a successful sporting family. This includes two All Blacks, Kawhena Woodman (her dad) and Fred Woodman (her uncle), as well as former New Zealand netball star, Te Aroha Keenan (her aunt).

Following in her aunt's footsteps, Portia started her career playing netball. She signed to the Northern Mystics before being selected for the Netball New Zealand development squad. However, Woodman’s passion saw her switch to rugby in 2012.

Woodman first came to the sport via New Zealand's Go4Gold campaign, which was created to find rugby sevens athletes for the 2016 Summer Olympics. She was chosen for the programme and subsequently made her debut for the Black Ferns in 2013.

A formidable force, she soon made her name as a world class player. Her greatest accomplishments include being named as World Rugby Women's Sevens Player of the Year in 2015. 

Two years later, in 2017, she won the World Rugby Women's Player of the Year award again, as well as the Māori Sportswoman of the Year award. Then, in 2020, she was recognised as the Women's Sevens Player of the Decade.

Out on the field, Woodman delivered an impressive performance during the 2017 Rugby World Cup. The Black Ferns won the tournament while Woodman scored more tries (13) and points (65) than any other player. 

Next, Woodman soared at the 2021 Rugby World Cup. She opened the tournament with an explosive performance and scored a hat-trick against Australia. She kept up this impressive form, becoming the tournament’s top try scorer and winning New Zealand’s sixth world title.

In rugby sevens, Woodman has amassed an enviable record. She has won two gold medals and one silver at the Olympic Games, a gold medal and a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games and two Rugby World Cup Sevens gold medals and a silver medal. She retired from rugby sevens following the conclusion of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. 

More recently, in 2022, Woodman married her teammate and three-time World Cup winner, Renee Wickliffe. The couple joined their surnames and they are now known as Woodman-Wickliffe. 

Determined, strong and with much of her career still to come, we're eager to see what Portia Woodman-Wickliffe achieves next.