This article originally appeared on Stuff and is reproduced with permission
Portia Woodman’s phenomenal second try against Wales was eerily similar to the legendary Jonah Lomu finish when the late All Blacks great trampled England’s Mike Catt at the 1995 men’s Rugby World Cup in South Africa.
Lomu running over Catt in Cape Town for one of his four tries in the All Blacks’ 45-29 semi-final win against England is one of the most famous moments in rugby’s history.
He played at three World Cups in 1995, 1999 and 2003 and finished with 15 tries but never lifted the Webb Ellis Cup.
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Woodman is playing at her second women’s World Cup after her starring role in the Black Ferns’ 2017 triumph and has been in top form in the opening two matches of this year’s tournament in New Zealand.
The 31-year-old winger scored another two tries in Sunday’s 56-12 win over Wales at Auckland’s Waitakere Stadium.
Her second was sensational and executed in Lomu’s bulldozing style by bumping off Jasmine Joyce, a respected, quality sevens player, and trampling over the flailing Welsh winger.
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She beat Welsh centre Megan Webb down the left flank for speed and stepped inside past fullback Kayleigh Power with ease for the Black Ferns’ fourth try in an 11 minute blitz in the first half.
Granted, Woodman could have passed to halfback Ariana Bayler in space who would have scored unopposed, but she didn’t need to in order to beat the hapless Welsh defence.
She has been compared to Lomu before because of the style, speed and power of her running game, while also wearing the fabled No.11 jersey.
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In an interview with Stuff in 2019, she said being likened to Lomu was a compliment.
“Just the thought that people even compare me to Jonah or anyone else is huge and it is just hard to figure that out in my own head. Because I still feel I am a long way off to someone who is as great as them. I take it as a compliment you know,” she said.
“I looked up to Jonah and my dad. I unfortunately didn’t know many of the Black Ferns but now these young girls have these amazing role models – Sarah Goss [now Hirini], Kelly Brazier, Ruby Tui.”
Woodman’s hat-trick against Australia in their opening World Cup win at Eden Park the previous weekend saw the Northlander pass another milestone.
She became the leading try scorer at either the men’s or women’s World Cup, passing Lomu’s record of 15.
With three against the Wallaroos, she went to 16 and is up to 18 after a double against Wales.
The Black Ferns head to Woodman’s home province for their final pool match against Scotland in Whangarei on Saturday.
Beating Wales ensured they qualified for the quarterfinals and that fixture will also be in Whangarei the following Saturday.
Her wife Renee Wickliffe is also in the World Cup squad – they started on opposite wings against Wales – and the Black Ferns’ Northland stint will be a special fortnight for their family and the team’s other two Northland players, prop Krystal Murray and halfback Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu.
Woodman has only played 21 Tests, scoring 32 tries, since her debut for the Black Ferns in 2013 because of her commitments with sevens.
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