As the all-time leading try scorer on the HSBC Women’s World Rugby Sevens Series, World Rugby Women’s Sevens Player of the Year for 2015 and a Rugby World Cup Sevens gold medallist, New Zealand winger Portia Woodman is best known for her exploits in the shortened format of the game.
However, nine months ago, in November 2016, the South Island speedster gave the Irish public a snapshot of what they can expect from her over the coming weeks in 15s at Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017.
With the Black Ferns holding a narrow lead over Ireland, Woodman took it upon herself to make the game safe by scoring a hat-trick in a devastating 18-minute spell of top-class finishing that helped bring about a final scoreline of 38-8.
MIND GAMES
Even though Woodman’s try tally in 15s now stands at nine tries from 11 tests, her international debut coming against England back in 2013, the 26-year-old admits she is still finding her feet at this level.
“I am definitely more confident on the sevens field and I have found switching to 15s a lot harder. It’s a very mental game, more strategic," she admits.
“You get to express yourselves a lot more in sevens because there are less people on the pitch, but I am loving the challenge of 15s in manipulating and creating those spaces.
“I still get a little lost and ask the players around me questions but thankfully they tolerate my uselessness!”
RUGBY BACKGROUND
Woodman comes from impressive rugby stock – both her father and uncle were All Blacks in 1980s – but her direct involvement in the sport only dates back to 2012 when she crossed over from top-level netball at the same time as Black Ferns Sevens team-mate Kayla McAlister, the only player in the squad who could probably beat her in a sprint to the line.
While the ability to run quick is still one of Woodman's main weapons in terrorising defences, there is more to Woodman’s game that just pure speed.
“I definitely got my footwork from netball – either trying to lose someone or chase someone down,” she says. “A netball court is 30 metres long, and in my position, you’re only allowed to run over two-thirds of the court so you have to be fast and agile and have incredible footwork plus the power to jump – all skills that can be transferred into rugby.”
That said, in the aftermath of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, Woodman blamed her netballing instincts for the sin-binning that ultimately cost New Zealand gold, Australia scoring twice while she was off the field for an attempted intercept to win 24-17.
"I am definitely more confident on the sevens field and I have found switching to 15s a lot harder. It’s a very mental game, more strategic."
On the final whistle, Woodman sunk to her knees in tears. “Straight after the game I went to catch up with my mum and dad and my family that had travelled over and they said, ‘you’re an Olympic silver medallist, you’ve got nothing to be ashamed of.’ And then, when we returned to New Zealand and visited seven cities in seven days, you quickly came to realise what an impact we’d made.”
BLACK FERNS LEGACY
Bringing home the Women’s Rugby World Cup trophy would no doubt have just as big an impact, especially after the four-time champions' disappointing fifth-place finish last time out at France 2014.
“The other day I was asking a couple of girls who’ve played in both a sevens and 15s World Cup, ‘what’s it like?’ They said they are quite similar, I think it is just the legacy that the Black Ferns have at the World Cup (that makes them different).
“There is always pressure when you’re in a New Zealand side playing rugby, but maybe not so much this time as we’re not top seeds. Hopefully we can go out and play some good footy.”
New Zealand, ranked second in the World Rugby Women's Rankings after losing to England in the International Rugby Women's Series last month, find themselves in Pool A with third-ranked Canada, Wales and tournament debutants Hong Kong.
OPPOSITION ANALYSIS
Worryingly for Canada, Woodman believes New Zealand only played to 40-50 per cent of their potential when they beat their WRWC 2017 rivals 28-16 in the series back in June.
But she still expects the beaten finalists in 2014 to come at them hard. “Canada, had they finished off their width to width play, they would have scored a couple more tries against us so hopefully they (don’t) pick up on those skill levels that they could have brought against us.”
Looking at their other opponents, Woodman added: “They are both very different teams. I’m guessing Wales are going to be a very forward focused team. They will be good in their skillset. They are a rugby nation, they play in the Six Nations and get a lot more game time than we do so they are going to be a strong rugby team. Our forwards are going to have to pack down really strong against them, hopefully the backs get to show off a bit of the x-factor and we might be able to show a bit of our ‘jazz’.
“Hong Kong, from a couple of people I know that are in Hong Kong at the moment, they are a nuggety country. They were here a couple of months ago and training and playing against some New Zealand regional teams. They are physically fit and while their skill level may not be as high, they will keep going and going and going.”
A bit like one of Woodman’s runs to the line.