Portia Woodman of New Zealand 'more influential' than All Blacks counterparts | sport

Portia Woodman, winger of the Black Ferns, was ranked among the top ten most influential rugby teams, beating one of his All Blacks counterparts and outscoring Steve Hansen, the coach All Blacks.

Woodman is ninth on the list, published twice a year by Rugby World magazine and ranked among the 50 best people in the game, nominated by players, coaches, administrators, journalists and other important figures in world football.

The seventh ranked player had a great year for her country as the best scorer of the 2017 Black Ferns World Cup and a member of the 2018 World Cup and Commonwealth Games teams. The black ferns are now six times world champions. World Rugby Vice President Agustín Pichot tops the list, followed by Springboks Rbadie Erasmus coach, Mozambican owner Mohed Altrad, World Rugby Medical Director Martin Raftery and Irish coach Joe Schmidt , also kiwi. The Top 10 is completed by Siya Kolisi, Hansen, Johnny Sexton, Woodman and Doddie Weir.

All Blacks Baudean Barrett (25) and Captain Kieran Read (43) are the other New Zealanders to be in the top 50. In total, 10 Kiwis are registered, including Raelene Castle (26), who rugby director of Australia and New Zealand, Steve Tew (29).

Woodman was the highest ranked woman on the list, and one of five to be in the overall standings.

Joy Neville, World Rugby 2017 referee and former Irish captain, came in 31st position, while Danielle Waterman, the first representative woman of the Rugby Players' Association, was 46th.

Giselle Mather, first A woman who earned the title of level four RFU coach and a 1994 World Cup winner with England was the last name on the list of 50. [19659002AustraliancoachEddieJoneslost17places19thafterhisteamlostfiveconsecutivetriesin2018beforebreakingthedroughtwiththewinovertheSpringboksinJune

Five Australians were introduced, along with other inclusions Brett Gosper (16) billionaire Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest (49).

Woodman's Ferns made international news earlier this year, when, 23 years after male rugby became professional, it was announced that New Zealand's national women's team would see itself offer paid contracts for the first time.

The historic announcement follows a significant participation of women playing rugby on a global scale, with a 60% increase in rugby players since 2013 and a 150% increase in rugby players since 2013. This represents a quarter of all players around the world being women.