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'Phenomenal': Tributes flow for retiring legend Woodman-Wickliffe
Savannah Lendich Jonkers • February 27th, 2026 10:22 am
Black Ferns sevens and fifteens sensation Portia Woodman-Wickliffe has decided – yet again - to hang up her boots and her beloved black jersey.
On Thursday, Woodman-Wickliffe announced she’s stepping away from the game for a second time, after coming out of retirement for last year's World Cup, bringing the curtain down on one of the great rugby careers – this time, for good.
The Kiwi winger is a three-time medalist at the Olympic Games with the Black Ferns Sevens, claiming gold in Tokyo and Paris and a silver in Rio de Janeiro.
Woodman-Wickliffe is also New Zealand's all-time top try scorer in test rugby with 50 tries and the Women's Rugby World Cup try scoring record holder with 22 tries.
On Sport Nation’s Scotty & Izzy on Friday, today hosted by Scotty Stevenson and Sam Ackerman, the hosts agreed 34-year-old Woodman-Wickliffe is a phenomenon of women’s rugby, paying tribute to her remarkable contribution to the game.
The Black Ferns are the standard for NZ Rugby | Scotty & Izzy
“I think she put the women's sevens series on the map internationally and then transferred those skills obviously into 15s as well,” said Stevenson.
Ackerman places Woodman-Wickliffe in the same category as Farah Palmer, Anna Richards and even the legendary Jonah Lomu due to her influence on rugby, which goes beyond simply the women’s game.
“I adore Portia Woodman-Wickliffe as a player,” he said.
“Watching her afterwards with a smile. It's the way that she greets her opponents, and she represents everything I love about New Zealand sport.”
Stevenson recalled attending a regional qualifying tournament for the national sevens and, despite the host of men’s and women’s players present, it was Woodman-Wickliffe who the fan flocked to as she was spectating on the sidelines.
“Of all the players there, male or female, Portia Woodman-Wickliffe was the superstar, and it was awesome.”
Woodman-Wickliffe's exhilarating speed, immaculate side steps and compelling force for the try line “will leave an indelible mark” on World Rugby, Stevenson added.
