Black Ferns Sevens star Portia Woodman-Wickliffe will retire from international rugby after New Zealand's bid for back-to-back gold medals at the Paris Olympics next month.
Woodman-Wickliffe has been part of the NZ women's sevens programme as long as there has been one, as a member of the first team to contest the inaugural 2012 world series. Since then, she has scored more tries (256) than any other woman on the circuit, although teammate Michaela Blyde is closing fast.
"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," she posted on social media.
"Rugby has provided me more than a career - it's given me a second whānau in my sisters, opportunities to see the world and experience things I never would have otherwise. One last dance with my sisters in Paris."
Woodman-Wickliffe, 32, started as a netballer and was drawn into sevens by a recruitment campaign. She was a Rugby World Cup champion in 2017 and 2022, a Rugby World Cup Sevens winner in 2013 and 2018, and Commonwealth Games (Gold Coast 2018) and Olympic (Tokyo 2020) gold medals.
The daughter of former All Black Kawhena Woodman was named 2015 World Sevens Player of the Year, Women's World Player of the Year in 2017 and 2020, and top women's sevens player of the past decade.
She married former teammate Renee Wickliffe in 2022.
"It is impossible to measure the impact Portia has had on rugby," said NZ Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson. "She is a once-in-a-generation player, who reached the pinnacle on the field on multiple occasions and, off the field, has helped to grow the women's game across the globe, where she is an incredible ambassador and represents everything great about our sport."
