Dad’s excellent advice Valuable life lesson helps spur teenager into Black Ferns
Being the daughter of a rugby coach brings with it some hard bargains – just ask new Black Ferns Sevens centre Jazmin Hotham.
Hotham was given an ultimatum in her first year of NCEA by her father, Nigel Hotham, who coaches the Hamilton Boys’ first XV: ‘‘Get excellence or you don’t play sport.’’
Hotham took that as a challenge and fell just five credits short of excellence, but thrived in the first XV too.
‘‘I did get a very stern talking to,’’ she says about the year 11 shortfall.
Now, at 18, she’s been named in the national women’s sevens side. Last year in year 13 she was loosely contracted with the squad, which meant training with a New Zealand Rugby sevens coach in her lunch breaks and after school.
Her father insisted school always came first. ‘‘He continually reminds me that rugby has to end some day.’’
She admits her contract has gone some way to convincing her father that she has a career in the sport. Nigel Hotham’s ultimatum to daughter Jazmin, new Black Ferns squad member
Late last year, however, Hotham had a setback when she had to undergo reconstructive shoulder surgery and will only be up for contact in May, which she cannot wait for.
‘‘Even just training with these girls will be amazing. It is the only time I will love being tackled, because it will be by these legends.’’
Hotham was named alongside two other newbies, former Hamilton Girls’ High School classmate Montessa Tairekena and Mahina Paul from Saint Kentigern College in Auckland.
Hotham was brought up in a strong rugby family and has made every representative team imaginable. She was named to captain the Youth Olympic Games team last year, but got injured just weeks out.
Tairakena captained the Hamilton Girls High first XV to a national title last September before starring in the gold medalwinning Youth Olympic Games team.
Paul, also a member of the Youth Olympic Games team, has previously represented New Zealand in touch. Originally from Whakatane, Paul completed her schooling in Auckland.
With more than half of the squad under 24 it is balanced with some of the most experienced players in the women’s game.
Captain Sarah Hirini (nee Goss), Tyla Nathan-Wong, Kelly Brazier and Ruby Tui have played in every world series since its inception in 2012. Hirini is the most capped player in the history of the series.