Woodman in action against Japan. Photo: Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.nz
Portia Woodman has done it all.
The Black Ferns star has won two Sevens World Cups, a 15s World Cup, claimed numerous awards and broken multiple records.
But the veteran speedster isn't planning on slowing down as she and the New Zealand women attempt to defend their 15s world title in Aotearoa, starting with Saturday's clash with Australia at Eden Park.
Playing her first 15s test this year after a schedule filled with sevens, Woodman made a spectacular return to the Black Ferns, scoring seven tries in the recent 95-12 win over Japan at Eden Park.
The Ngāpuhi product, who has a habit of scoring hattricks, has sport in her blood.
Her father, Kawhena, and her uncle, Fred, played for the All Blacks, while her aunt Te Aroha Keenan is a former Silver Fern.
And good genes aren't the only thing Woodman's whānau gifted her.
"The greatest thing that my parents ever gave me was to dream big and that nothing is impossible.
"For my Dad to go and play for the All Blacks, he was a dad at 16, married at 17, coming from a really small town. He never really gave up on his dreams and that's what my parents have always instilled in me. Anything is possible if you work hard, dream big and chase everything.
Woodman with a fan. Photo: Mike Lee - KLC fotos for World Rugby
And Woodman credits her parents for helping her stay focused, when her motivation waned as a teenager.
"Between the ages of 12 and 17 you think you know everything and you don't want to listen to your parents, you can't be bothered getting out to train, you're all right you're making teams and that sort of stuff.
"Throughout those moments of me being a know-it-all or a lazy bum or whatever else, my parents would take me for a run down to Takapuna beach from Glenfield or whatever.
"Mum and Dad they were both training me whether I wanted to or not. I'd literally be dragging my feet behind me, saying 'I've got asthma', making up all kinds of excuses. But, they would drag me out and because they were running alongside me it showed me that OK, I really do have to work for it. For that I'm very grateful."
Black Ferns legend Anna Richards, who played 49 tests from 1990-2010 and won four World Cups, first came across Woodman in 2012.
She knew then that Portia was special.
"You can't buy speed and she has that in truckloads. She's also a very balanced runner, she's very strong and she's aggressive. Those are all attributes that are wonderful in rugby."
Woodman's haul of accolades is impressive.
She's a Sevens and 15s world cup winner, an Olympic and Commonwealth Games games gold medallist, was the 2015 World Rugby Women's Sevens Player of the Year and at the 2017 15s World Cup she scored the most points and the most tries.
Richards believes Woodman is arguably the greatest rugby player New Zealand has ever produced.
"Yeah she's done OK hasn't she, haha. She needs to start wearing a t-shirt that says 'been there done that'.
"She's re-writing the record books isn't she and when you list her achievements, there are very few people, men or women, who would come even close to that."
Woodman has overcome some serious injuries, including a ruptured Achilles and subsequent hamstring tear that sidelined the speedster for two years.
The Black Ferns coach, Wayne Smith, said the 31-year-old is extraordinary.
"Anyone who can get World Player of the Year in either sevens or 15s, has got to have to have something special don't they. You need to be resilient, you need to be able to overcome injuries and have mental and physical strength. There are a lot of women in this team (Black Ferns) who have similar characteristics, but she's a shining example.
Wayne Smith. Photo: RNZ / Nathan McKinnon
And despite having achieved more than most, Woodman is determined to keep raising the bar.
"I got injured for two years, Covid came around for two years and I've been robbed of four years of rugby.
"I still feel that love and passion for it and when you've got teams like the Black Ferns Sevens girls and the Black Ferns 15s girls, they make it so enjoyable that you really don't want to leave. You want to ride until the wheels fall off!"
Woodman and the Black Ferns will be hoping the wheels don't fall off until after they've defended their World Cup title on home soil.
She said it would be hard to say how winning the crown in 2021 would compare to 2017, but she believes having the tournament in Aotearoa this time round is a win for women's rugby.
"We've already reached more than 30,000 tickets sold for our first game, that is massive for a women's test. So, to know that there's going to be young girls and women watching our team and teams from around the world play at this really important, massive tournament here in Aotearoa New Zealand, is really huge.
"When I seven to 12 years old I didn't have female rugby players to look up to. So, to know that these women in the Black Ferns, the French team and the English team, they're inspiring our young seven to 10 to 12 to 15 year olds and that's really cool. I think that's going to be a massive growth point for women's rugby and women's sport heading forward."
