Portia Woodman-Wickliffe delivered a record-breaking performance as the Black Ferns overwhelmed the United States 79-14 in Albany to reclaim the Pacific Four Series title.

The 33-year-old winger crossed the try line seven times, becoming New Zealand’s all-time leading try scorer with 45 tries in just 26 Tests; surpassing Vanessa Coutts’ previous record of 43.

Facing a must-win scenario after Canada’s dominant 45-7 victory over Australia on Friday, the Black Ferns needed a bonus-point win and a margin of at least 25 points to leapfrog Canada. They did so emphatically, scoring 13 tries to secure the crown.

Katelyn Vaha’akolo added four tries on the other wing, lifting her own tally to 23 tries in 16 appearances. Additional scores from Ruahei Demant and Stacey Waaka sealed the dominant result, with the Black Ferns shutting out the USA in the second half.

Woodman-Wickliffe, already the record try scorer in World Cup history, returned to 15s rugby after initially retiring following a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Her comeback sets the stage for a potential run at another World Cup title in England later this year.

The Black Ferns and Canada had drawn 27-27 in round two, making points differential and bonus points decisive in the final standings.