Bold statement first: Portia Woodman-Wickliffe is stepping away from international rugby again, ending a storied run that left an indelible mark on New Zealand and the sport itself.
New Zealand’s all-time leading try-scorer, Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, has announced her retirement from international rugby for a second time. The 34-year-old winger played a pivotal role in securing the Black Ferns’ World Cup titles in 2017 and 2022, after initially retiring following a second Olympic gold in rugby sevens at Paris 2024.
She answered the call again for last year’s World Cup in England, where the bid for a three-peat ended in the semifinals at the hands of Canada. New Zealand ultimately finished third after defeating France. Woodman-Wickliffe extended her World Cup record by scoring two tries in England, bringing her total to 22 World Cup tries and cementing her status as the competition’s all-time leading scorer. Notably, her try in the pool-stage win over Japan brought her to 50 international tries, allowing her to surpass Doug Howlett as New Zealand’s outright career leading try-scorer.
Recognized twice as World Rugby’s women’s player of the year, she will retire from both international sevens and XVs rugby. In a message shared on social media, she expressed deep gratitude for the chance to represent her country and her people one final time on the World Cup stage, a memory she will treasure. She admitted feeling a mix of excitement and nerves as she embarks on this new chapter, but affirmed her readiness for what lies ahead.
