Portia Woodman-Wickliffe among three history-making women at SVNS LAX
Australia’s Sharni Smale, Chloe Pelle from France and New Zealander Portia Woodman-Wickliffe have all been celebrated as true pioneers of women’s rugby on the SVNS Series.
The world-class trio join an exclusive list of legendary women’s rugby players who have played 50 international tournaments, with all three reaching that milestone in Los Angeles on Friday.
Before the SVNS event at Dignity Health Sports Park, only three women had ever reached a half-century of tournaments in sevens. That number has now doubled.
Smale, Pelle and Woodman-Wickliffe were all signalled out and congratulated as they officially brought up the momentous milestone at SVNS LAX.
Portia Woodman-Wickliffe gets her 50th @nz_sevens tournament 🤩🇳🇿#HSBCSVNS | #HSBCSVNSLAX pic.twitter.com/E2oA4PFf9b
— HSBC SVNS (@SVNSSeries) March 2, 2024
Following in the footsteps of long-time teammate Charlotte Caslick who reached the marker in Vancouver, Australia’s Smale was the first to reach the milestone this week.
The Australian ran out onto the field about 10 seconds before any of her teammates or Irish opponents, and Smale’s fellow Australians made sure to make it a day to remember.
Ahead of Smale’s birthday on Saturday, the Australians got their SVNS LAX campaign off to a perfect start with a 36-nil demolition of Perth champions Ireland.
But putting the result aside, a proud yet humble Smale compared the achievement to Australia’s cricketing heroes raising “the bat up” when they race a half-century.
“After celebrating Charlotte, to really be able to stand alongside her – she’s just changed the game and I’ve been there from the first tournament to her 50th tournament,” Smale told RugbyPass
“To now be alongside her and say that I’ve played 50 tournaments is something that we look at in Australia. You look at the baggy green, you hold that bat up and say thank you for your time and thank you for everybody that appreciated us along the way.
“If we look back at 2014, we’ve had some milestones there for women to finally get fully paid, so I’ve been there for that,” Smale added.
“I’ve been there for the coat of arms to finally be on women’s jerseys, the equal pay system, our pregnancy policy… I’ve seen where it’s come from.
“Being in this new team, being able to blood some of those girls and go, ‘Hey, it wasn’t always like this.’ They find a bit more respect.
“When you just love the game, you love the sport – it’s created my identify, it’s made me who I am. A small country kid from Batlow, 1500 people, to finally be out here in the word and spreading love and who I am from my LGBTQI+ community.
“It’s Mardi Gras today well, it’s my birthday in Australia, it’s 50 (tournaments). There’s so much to celebrate in life and I think when you can be really present, I think those good things come to you.”
An @Aussie7s legend🔥
Congratulations Sharni Smale on the big 5️⃣0️⃣!#HSBCSVNS | #HSBCSVNSLAX pic.twitter.com/00PgGbfOdN
— HSBC SVNS (@SVNSSeries) March 2, 2024
Chloe Pelle was next. Pelle was met with a loud cheer as she made her way onto the field ahead of France’s clash with an always-dangerous Japan side in the second game of the tournament.
But France, who finished second behind New Zealand in Vancouver, continued their purple patch of form with a 35-7 victory. Again, it was a great way to celebrate the occasion.
After Brazil’s surprise 12-5 win over Fiji, Woodman-Wickliffe was the third and final member of this history-making trio to make their way out onto the field by themselves.
The Black Ferns Sevens went on to win their opening match against South Africa 41-5, which included doubles to both Shiray Kaka and Kelsey Teneti.
But while her teammates raced to the changerooms ahead of a commemorative haka for their legendary teammate, Woodman-Wickliffe stopped to talk with RugbyPass about the achievement.
“It’s massive but I kind of just wanted to get that first game done,” Woodman-Wickliffe said. “Now I’m like, ‘Okay, it’s just a normal tournament, I don’t want it to be talked about.
“I think to put a performance out like that was pretty cool.
“Seeing it last week with Charlotte (Caslick), did Sharni (Smale) do it as well with her 50th tournament? That’s really awesome, I love that.
“I wanted to go in the front but with everyone else behind me, but it was cool.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Who listens to this retard? He was a massive liability as a player but obviously a media sensation
40 Go to commentsI’m not surprised by such ‘virtue signalling’ by Sonny Boy. Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. He’s such a pious Islamic muppet, imo.
40 Go to commentsI’ve actually never heard of the guy (then I don’t watch League as it is boring). But if he is good enough.. then good luck to him. If not, well, he can always return to league.
2 Go to commentsIt is pretty clear that by almost any measure that NZ are a more successful rugby nation than South Africa. Quite aside from the distasteful events during the last RWC final. NZ lead SA in all significant measurements.
39 Go to commentsDickson went to his pocket for a card, saw who it was, changed his mind and spoke at length to TMO. One angle clearly shows Care diving over a Saints player to kill the ball. 1st yellow, reason given for not Red was player was falling backwards. He was only falling backwards after contact with Lawes. Graham try should have stood. Mitchell did not have both hands on the ball, ball went forward from a Saints boot dragging over it. 2 intentional knock-on's. One of which had an overlap on the outside. If Quins are happy to win by intentional foul play, then it does not say much for them. Would appear to be a bad day for Karl Dickson, also for the RFU in appointing a Ref who spent 8 years as a player at one of the clubs.
1 Go to commentsLet’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
4 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
1 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
4 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
4 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
4 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
4 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
4 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
40 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
4 Go to comments