An ambassador role with the Rugby World Cup has denied Portia Woodman-Wickliffe of fulfilling her goal to compete in the NRLW.
The Kiwi rugby star was set to make a code-switch and join forces with the Newcastle Knights in what would have been a major coup for the club and a boost for the league.
The Knights have been attempting to lodge the 33-year-old’s registration since last season but the club has failed to have the signing approved.
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Woodman-Wickliffe retired from rugby union at the end of last season but is contracted as an ambassador for the upcoming World Cup in England.
The World Cup is scheduled to take place between August 22 and September 27, meaning the ex-Black Ferns winger will be absent for a week during the NRLW season in order to fulfil her contracted duties as an ambassador.
According to an AAP report, her absence for that week has put a halt on approving Woodman-Wickliffe’s registration.
Woodman-Wickliffe was reportedly informed that she would need to wait until her additional plans did not interfere with her commitments to the Knights.
Portia Woodman-Wickliffe celebrates with Michaela King after scoring a try. Getty
Woodman-Wickliffe has had great success during her time in rugby, having won an Olympic gold medal with the Kiwi sevens and two World Cup titles.
Her on-field success also saw her named the World Sevens player of the decade for the 2010s and selected in the World 15s team of the decade.
Woodman-Wickliffe was the leading try-scorer in world sevens until former teammate Michaela Brake surpassed her record in February this year.
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The winger’s move to the NRLW would not be the first for a former Black Ferns player as Tyla King, Stacey Waaka and Tenika Willison all featured in the 2024 season.
The star trio were all granted permission by the league to represent their country in the women’s sevens at the Olympic Games last year.
The case for approval for the trio who won gold in Paris is reportedly viewed differently to that of Woodman-Wickliffe’s.
Newcastle will kick off the new season on July 4 when they face the league’s newest team the Canterbury Bulldogs.
