Seven rugby players that completed retirement U-turns like Portia Woodman-Wickliffe

Seven rugby players like Portia Woodman that have returned to the pitch after retirement.

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Portia Woodman-Wickliffe stunned the rugby world with her decision to reverse her international retirement.

But it got us thinking; which other rugby players have picked up their boots again after a period on the sideline.

Read more: 11 rugby moves that shook the game as Rieko Ioane joins Leinster

Here are Rugby World’s seven players that reversed their decision to retire:

Portia Woodman-Wickliffe

It is safe to say that Portia Woodman-Wickliffe has already won everything in women’s rugby. But she wants more.

After helping New Zealand to gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics the wing ended her international career.

Across her time wearing a black jersey, the 33-year-old has won two Olympic golds, a Commonwealth Games gold, two Rugby World Cup Sevens titles and the Women’s Rugby World Cup twice.

You then add a smattering of silver and bronze medals to that, and it is a career that anyone could be envious of.

She signed a contract with the Blue Women for the recently concluded Sky Super Rugby Aupiki campaign and scored five tries as the club lifted silverware for a second time.

It was during that time that the leading try-scorer in World Cup history decided to come to the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup in England this summer and strike fear into the hearts of defenders everywhere.

“Each week in campaign I thought about the possibility of how I could potentially go to the World Cup more and more,” Woodman-Wickliffe said.

“I thought about what it would mean to me but most importantly my whanau [family]. I needed time to process everything and making myself available for this team is where I’ve landed.”

Victor Matfield

Victor Matfield spent two years in retirement before he was tempted back on the field by the Blue Bulls.

He initially retired from the game altogether after the 2011 Rugby World Cup, with 110 Test caps, three Super Rugby titles and a 2007 Rugby World Cup winners medal in his back pocket.

Victor Matfield

Victor Matfield takes a lineout against NZ

During his retirement the lock forward worked as a pundit, but was also a lineout consultant at Loftus Versfeld before the Bulls asked him to lace up for the 2014 Super Rugby season.

Matfield made 17 more appearances for South Africa and finished with an overall tally of 127 Springboks caps. He retired for a final time after spending the 2015/16 season with Northampton Saints in England.

Andy Goode

So far as retirement u-turns go, Andy Goode’s might be the most legendary.

Forced to retire and forgo a contract with London Irish because of injury ahead of the 2015/16 season, Goode’s return to the pitch was certainly unexpected.

With Newcastle Falcons facing down the barrel of relegation (who else misses that) and in the midst of a fly-half injury crisis, he was signed on a three-month contract at Kingston Park.

Bringing his fingerless gloves, red undershirt and bright yellow boots along for the ride, Goode almost single handedly saved Newcastle from the drop in his seven outings. 

We even got one of the most iconic images in English club rugby history when he was shoved against the advertising hoardings in the north east against Northampton Saints and even enjoyed some some vintage interactions with the match officials. 

He even consigned London Irish to relegation that season before returning to full-time work in finance, public speaking and punditry.

Matt Giteau

It took only 10 months for Matt Giteau to reverse his retirement decision aged 41.

Already without a club for 18 months prior, the 103-cap Australia international eventually hung up his boots early in 2023, but after meeting the owners of Major League Rugby’s San Diego Legion at the 2023 Rugby World Cup fancied another shot.

An MLR winner in 2021 with the now-defunct LA Giltinis and was able to play alongside former Toulon Ma’a Nonu for the 2024 season.

Giteau played eight matches, scored 59 points and went to the Western Conference Semi-Finals with the Californians.

Giteau is now enjoying his post-rugby playing career again with his podcast Kick Offs and Kick Ons, which he hosts alongside fellow Wallabies legends Adam Ashley-Cooper and Drew Mitchell.

Joe Marler

Joe Marler’s first international retirement lasted less than a year.

In September 2018 the Harlequins loosehead called time on wearing a white jersey and cited his desire to spend more time with his family as a major reason for his decision.

But after a dominant season for Harlequins he made himself available for selection again.

He helped England to a runners-up finish at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan and also represented his country at the 2023 World Cup too.

Marler retired from international rugby again in November 2024 with 95 capsand from playing altogether later that month. 

He has since turned his hand at punditry and will take part in the hotly anticipated first series of Celebrity Traitors on the BBC.

Os du Randt

Three years of injury torment forced Os du Randt to end his playing career in 2000.

Already the loosehead prop had already achieved legendary status as a significant player in South Africa’s 1995 Rugby World Cup win on home soil.

Current Boks coach Rassie Erasmus was a major catalyst for the legendary prop’s decision to get back playing.

Then coach of the Free State Cheetahs, Erasmus invited the prop to practice in 2003 and the rest is history.

In 2004 Jake White recalled the World Cup winner to the South Africa squad and was selected for the 2007 World Cup and started six matches on the way to lifting the Webb Ellis Cup for a second time.

Since his 2007 retirement De Randt has worked as a scrum coach for the Cheetahs and Springboks, but primarily works as a farmer.

Steve Thompson

It was early in 2007 that Rugby World Cup winning hooker Steve Thompson initially called time on his career after he sustained a neck injury playing for Northampton Saints.

In the first step of his post-rugby career Thompson joined French club CA Brive as a recruitment and technique adviser, but after consulting medical staff returned to the pitch.

BBC airing Steve Thompson documentary

Champagne moment: celebrating England’s World Cup triumph in 2003. Thompson played every minute of the final (AFP/Getty)

After three seasons in Limousin he returned to the Premiership with Leeds Carnegie and even represented England at a second Rugby World Cup in 2011.

Thompson retired again in 2011 after a recurrence of the 2007 neck injury. In 2020 he revealed that he had been diagnosed with dementia.

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