Sevens teenager aims for the top

Being called into the Black Ferns sevens squad was an “unreal feeling”, says Jazmin Hotham.

Hotham, 17, had a strong tournament in January at the Women’s Nationals in Rotorua. She was shocked when she received a call from the national team’s coach asking if she wanted a contract.

“At that point you don’t really know what to do,” said Hotham. “He was saying, we need you to come in to camp, is that all good? Like the next day and I was like yup, yup, yup that’s all good!”.

Still a student at Hamilton Girls’ High School, Hotham has to juggle monthly four-day camps for sevens.

She said her teachers are very supportive, and she can complete most of her school work online.

Jazmin Hotham, 17, escapes a tackle for NZ sevens. Photo: Ian Cameron.

“Sevens is a bit of a cut-throat sport,” she said, with contracts renewing yearly, but she is determined to get to the 2020 Olympics.

Her backup plan is to go to Police College in Wellington.

Last year Hotham fractured the scaphoid bone in her wrist, one week before Condors sevens and touch nationals. They were two of the most important tournaments of the year, and in her determination to play at the top level, she didn’t let her injury stop her.

She took off her cast, strapped up her wrist to be able to play, and still made the tournament teams.

Hotham scored the crucial match-winning try in the Condors sevens final against Australia.

She said she is inspired by Terina Te Tamaki and Tenika Willison, seniors in the school sevens team when Hotham was year 9. Both are now also in the NZ squad.

“They carved pathways I wanted to follow,” Hotham said.

She has also played touch since the age of seven and wants to continue playing touch rugby on the side. Her coach encouraged her to stay involved in it and to have a good last year of school.

With the news of the new payment scheme announced this month for women’s rugby, Hotham is excited about the future.

“It’s pretty amazing seeing where women’s rugby is headed.”