Portia Woodman-Wickliffe says learning to play a new position was a factor in her decision to backflip on her international retirement, and help the Black Ferns win a third consecutive Rugby World Cup.
The 33-year-old has signed a deal with New Zealand Rugby for the rest of the year and will link up with the Black Ferns in their first camp of the year this weekend.
After helping the Black Ferns Sevens defend their Olympic gold medal in Paris last year, Woodman-Wickliffe insisted her time in the black jersey was over.
But during the recent Super Rugby Aupiki campaign, where the Blues successfully defended their title by beating Matatū in the final, Woodman-Wickliffe says the desire to wear the black jersey again grew stronger.
Initially, Woodman-Wickliffe had planned to suit up in the NRLW this year, but after that deal fell through it made her decision easier.
“The main reason for this was the Blues,” said Woodman-Wickliffe. “It was amazing this year and a gradual build to this point.
“I knew what this commitment needs and whether if it was the right time for me, so it got to the point where I thought I could see myself doing well.
“What really helped was playing centre, it’s such a new position for me that I’ve just loved learning a lot.”
The two-time World Cup winner has primarily been used on the wing, but during the recent campaign with the Blues she played in the midfield.
She expects to keep learning and playing that position in the lead up to the World Cup, having kept in touch with head coach Allan Bunting.
“In my earlier contestations, he [Bunting] said I was playing well and has enjoyed me playing centre.
“He said the role is the connecter so I took that into my game as much as I could. He also said wingers is a position I could lean into.”
For Bunting, he always had a feeling Woodman-Wickliffe would backflip on her decision, considering how the last World Cup ended.
Early in the final at Eden Park in Auckland, she was knocked out and forced from the field, as the Black Ferns claimed a 34-31 win over England.
“I know her well and with the last World Cup and how that final ended, I saw her face after the game and didn’t feel like she didn’t finish the way she finished in the 15s,” said Bunting.
“I reminded her about that a couple of times and going to England to wipe smiles off faces over there would be cool.
“Earlier during Super Rugby Aupiki, I reached out and said the door was always open.”
Woodman-Wickliffe says she’s non-committal on ever playing in the NRLW in the future due to personal goals off the field with her wife Renee Woodman-Wickliffe.
She had intended to play for the Newcastle Knights in the upcoming season, but an issue with the NRL, which runs the women’s competition, saw the deal fall through.
Woodman-Wickliffe would have missed the back end of the season due to an ambassador role at the World Cup, which would have required Woodman-Wickliffe to head to England, and while there was no specific rule prohibiting a player from promoting a rival code, there were concerns about setting a precedent.
Woodman-Wickliffe’s team confirmed they were willing to make concessions, including forgoing the physical appearance, but the NRL’s hard stance made the move unattainable.
“With me already going there, it switched the conversation,” said Woodman-Wickliffe.
“I was loving rugby and week three was when I started thinking this was an option. We had to have a chat with Mastercard, so those chats were happening.
“After how hard it was trying to get in that environment, I’m more looking forward to making babies.
“This year was about opportunities and then I want to pop out babies. The door isn’t completely closed, I would have loved the chance to play.”
The Black Ferns play in the Pacific Four series with matches against the Wallaroos, Canada and USA, starting on May 10.
Ben Francis is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers breaking sports news.
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