Portia Woodman-Wickliffe has received a King's Birthday Honour for her services to rugby. Photos / Photosport. Graphic / Paul Slater
Fifteen-year-old Portia Woodman-Wickliffe stood in the Mount Albert Grammar School hall dreaming of her name going up on the sports honours board.
Little did she know, 18 years later, she would receive a King’s Birthday honour.
“It’s such a crazy, crazy idea,” Woodman-Wickliffe told the Herald. “I’m extremely grateful for it, but I just feel like a little kid who’s just playing rugby.”
The 33-year-old has been named an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to rugby.
The Black Ferns wing – true to her humble self – said she didn’t believe the news at first.
“I found out through an email and at first I thought it was junk because it was really inconspicuous – nothing really to it – and then I had a proper read and I was like, ‘oh shit, oh crap, wait, what’?”
Immediately, she had to share the news with her wife, former Black Ferns teammate, Renee.
Woodman-Wickliffe acknowledged the recognition was testament to what can be achieved when you’re passionate about what you do.
“When you’re having fun and you’re doing what you love and allowed to be who you are in every environment, it just shows the impact it has not just on your family and yourself, but the people around you.
“So, I’m extremely grateful, it’s unbelievable.”
Awards are not something new to the Kawakawa-born athlete.
Since 2013, she’s won seven gold medals, two silvers and a bronze across the Women’s Rugby World Cup, Rugby World Cup Sevens, the Olympic Games and the Commonwealth Games.
They came after her stint in netball, where she played for the Northern Mystics in the Trans-Tasman Netball League.
In 2015 and 2017, Woodman-Wickliffe was named World Rugby Women’s Player of the Year, and in 2020, World Rugby Women’s Sevens Player of the Decade. In 2017, she was also named Māori Sportswoman of the Year.
However, the generational talent and fierce competitor is still striving towards one of the most difficult yet rewarding achievements in a woman’s life – carrying a child.
Woodman-Wickliffe, who returned from retirement this year to play in another Rugby World Cup, told the Herald she hopes to have children as soon as possible.
“I’ve always wanted to be a mum; I loved kids right from when I was little.”
She understands that being in a same-sex relationship can make the pregnancy journey more complex. However, she told the Herald that after the Rugby World Cup in England this August, she hopes to start the process or, ideally, become pregnant.
“It makes it a bit difficult, and there’s a process to it.
“I want as many babies as I can ... But I say that now, who knows what it’s like when I’ve actually had the first one,” Woodman-Wickliffe laughed.
Her wife, Renee, carried their first child, Kaia, who is now 12.
“I think she’s beyond the point of wanting a sibling now she’s, you know, a teenage girl, but I want to carry babies.
“Renee, I think she’s done her dash. She’s had her own baby, and she’s happy with that, so she wants to be there and support me through my pregnancy when that comes.”
Navigating motherhood post-rugby won’t be the only challenge Woodman-Wickliffe will have to encounter.
She’s aware that as a female athlete, finding opportunities to ensure financial stability and lifestyle don’t come as easily as they do for her male counterparts.
“It does get a little bit scary if you get really down to the nitty gritty.
“I haven’t studied; I haven’t got any qualifications.
“I haven’t quite found my purpose, but I have to find a lifestyle after this.
“Renee has just started a new career as a youth coach. Where do I head to next year?
“Those are obstacles that we’re willing to kind of work through. It’s a new chapter outside of rugby life that we’re looking forward to working through.”
Woodman-Wickliffe said she’d love to pursue a career in broadcasting – specifically, commentating the sevens series. Another dream sees her and Renee giving back to their communities through coaching, either in Paeroa or Northland.
One thing she’s not ruling out is writing a book.
“We’ve definitely considered it. And I say we because it’s with my wife, Renee, as well.
“I’m not sure which way to go, whether I have a kids’ book first and then we go that way [of a memoir].
“It’s funny, though, because my insecurities tell me that my life isn’t worth writing down in a book.
“But I don’t think it needs to connect to everyone, but if it can connect to one person, maybe that would be the best thing.”
Looking to the immediate future, Woodman-Wickliffe has her sights set firmly on the Rugby World Cup in August.
She believes the Black Ferns are in a stronger position heading into this year’s pinnacle event than they were three years ago, before their triumphant World Cup victory on home soil.
“I think women’s rugby and the Black Ferns are in a much better place than it was four years ago, definitely.
“Three years ago, there was an end-of-year tour leading into the World Cup, and we got smashed by England and France.
“That came off the back of Covid. We had no experience, we had no game time leading into that. I think now we’re in a much better position.
“The girls have been playing consistently with WXV and Pacific Four series, international tests with Australia. The more the teams play, the more the girls play, the better the combinations are, the better the understanding and all of that.”
Fresh off a dominant individual performance – scoring an incredible seven tries in the Black Ferns’ victory over the United States last weekend – she remains focused on playing her best while refusing to let the pressure of representing her nation weigh her down.
“Any time you represent New Zealand, there is pressure there. Everyone expects the black jersey to win, no matter what sport or what career. But I think if I just go in, give it everything I’ve got, 100% with all the enjoyment and pressure that comes with it, it’s the best thing [for the team] at the World Cup.”
Although she holds herself to high standards, she admits she isn’t as competitive as one might expect.
“It’s more of I’ll do the best that I can, and if it doesn’t get me there, then, oh well.
“I like the pressure points of having to compete but also having your best friends in the team, travelling and training against each other.
“I love that part, and I think that’s one of the few things that I’m going to miss when I do finally stop playing professional rugby.”
Bonnie Jansen is a multimedia journalist in the NZME sports team. She was named New Zealand’s Best Up and Coming journalist in 2025. She’s a football commentator and co-host of the Football Fever podcast and was part of the Te Rito cadetship scheme before becoming a fulltime journalist.
Portia Woodman-Wickliffe became the Black Ferns' all time leading try-scorer.