One of the greatest players to don the Black Ferns jersey, Woodman-Wickliffe will step away from international rugby for the second time after coming out of retirement for the Rugby World Cup in England last year.
‘‘I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to represent my country, my iwi, my hapu and my whanau one last time on the World Cup stage — a moment I will cherish forever,’’ Woodman-Wickliffe said.
‘‘As I step into this next chapter of my life, I feel both excited and a little nervous, but I’m ready.’’
Woodman-Wickliffe played 34 tests for the Black Ferns and became New Zealand’s top try scorer — man or woman — when she reached 50 tries during the World Cup last year.
The winger won two World Cups in 2017 and 2022, was named World Rugby’s female player of the year in 2017 and is the reigning Tom French Memorial Maori player of the year.
She stamped her mark on the sevens circuit as well.
Woodman-Wickliffe is a three-time Olympic medallist, winning bronze in Rio and gold in Tokyo and Paris, and a two-time Commonwealth Games medallist, winning gold in the Gold Coast and bronze in Birmingham.
Playing for the Black Ferns Sevens, Woodman-Wickliffe won two world cups in 2013 and 2018, and was runner-up in 2022.
Woodman-Wickliffe was also recognised by World Rugby as sevens player of the year in 2015 and was named the top women’s player of the decade in 2020.
She won Super Rugby Aupiki with the Blues last year.
