100 of the Most Influential Women in Sport >> Athletes

Portia Woodman, New Zealand

Rugby

New Zealand will always be synonymous with rugby, but while it’s often the All Blacks who grab the headlines, there is a rival though. Portia Woodman. The Kiwi flyer is of Maori descent and has lit up the world scene with her blistering pace and all-action performances. She has been clocked at more than 30kmph during games and is the all-time leading scorer in the Sevens World Series – not bad for someone who has been playing the game since 2013 – and that was after calling time on a pro netball career. She’s now facing the toughest challenge of her sporting career as she recovers from a serious Achilles tendon injury. She’s hoping to be back on the field towards the end of 2019.

– Woodman was almost destined to be a rugby player with both her father, and uncle representing the All Blacks.

– She notched eight tries in a single game at the 2017 World Cup – two shy of the world record.

– Portia was named ahead of her All Black counterparts when she was placed in a list of the top-50 most influential rugby players in 2018.

Did you know…

Woodman is already preparing for life outside rugby and is currently using her enforced time out of the game to start work on a building apprenticeship.

“I want you to know that what you can achieve will not be defined by the colour of your skin, by age, who you love, and by being a girl.” – Portia Woodman

Twitter: @PortiaWoodman

Instagram: porshwoodman