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‘In my shadow’: Black Ferns 7s star’s playful jab at brother Noah Hotham
There’s nothing quite like a sibling rivalry. Jazmin Felix-Hotham and younger brother Noah may be more than 12,800 kilometres apart right now, but the pair are both gearing up for a massive weekend.
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Felix-Hotham, 23, is expected to suit up in the black jersey once again when New Zealand take the field at Dignity Health Sports Park for the next SVNS Series leg in Los Angeles from Friday.
As for Noah, who captained New Zealand at the World Rugby U20 Championship in South Africa last year, the halfback will start for the Crusaders against the Waratahs on Saturday evening.
The No. 9 will partner childhood friend Taha Kemara in the halves during Melbourne’s Super Round, with one-Test All Black Mitchell Drummond set to come off the bench at AAMI Park.
It’s clear that both siblings have already achieved quite impressive feats at the professional level. There’s no question about that.
But what remains unanswered, as any sibling out there can relate to, is who ‘the best’ truly is out of the pair. It’s a question that Jazmin had “been dreading” before it was asked in late January.
“That question hasn’t come up before and I’ve been dreading it because I’ve been hoping to keep him in my shadow for as long as possible but the day’s come,” Felix-Hotham told RugbyPass at SVNS Perth.
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“I still like to say that I can beat him in a 10-metre sprint race but anything beyond that, he’s got me.
“When it comes to rugby, to be honest, I think I’m a better box kicker than him so there’s probably different skill sets that I’m better at and he’s better at.
“Ask him the question and he’ll say a different thing.
“Me and him are the youngest siblings so as always, being the older sister I need to keep him in my shadow.”
It was all said in good fun with Felix-Hotham smiling and even laughing her way through one of the all-time interviews at Perth’s HBF Park.
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Felix-Hotham, who is a medallist at both the Rugby World Cup Sevens and Commonwealth Games, played a big role in New Zealand’s drought-breaking win at SVNS Vancouver last weekend.
But it’s all to play for ahead of SVNS LAX. From late afternoon on Friday to Sunday, the 12 best women’s and men’s teams will battle it out for glory.
The event promises to be another important marker for the Black Ferns Sevens as they continue to build towards greatness after a tough start to the season.
“We had the likes of Sarah Hirini go out this year with her knee, Stacey (Waaka), Kelly Brazier, but the fact that we’ve gone through some moments that have been really quite hard in the past in terms of the rugby game, coming fifth in Perth was a real eye-opener for us,” Felix-Hotham’s teammate, Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, told RugbyPass after the final in Vancouver.
“But to come out here, we’ve got some really new girls, we took out all the excess stuff that didn’t need to be there and made the game simple: get the ball wide, create space and play from there.
“Our game’s not perfect, we’ve got a long way to go,” she added.
The SVNS Series leg in Los Angeles is from March 1 to 3 and tickets can be bought HERE.
Comments on RugbyPass
Interesting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
37 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
1 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
33 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to comments