Kelly Brazier
Brazier in 2016
Date of birth (1989-10-28) 28 October 1989
Place of birthDunedin, Otago, New Zealand
Height170 cm (5 ft 7 in)
Weight70 kg (154 lb)
SchoolOtago Girls' High School
Otago Polytechnic
SpouseTahlia Tahau
Occupation(s)Professional rugby player
Rugby union career
Position(s) Second five-eighth, First five-eighth
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2003–2010 Alhambra Union (0)
2011– Clanswomen (0)
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
2004–2010 Otago 22 (162)
2011 Canterbury 5 (67)
2012–2016 Otago 22 (162)
2017– Bay of Plenty 2 (22)
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2009–2021 New Zealand 41 (180)
National sevens team(s)
Years Team Comps
2013–Present New Zealand 208 (581 pts)
Coaching career
Years Team
2023 Brave Louve (7s)
Medal record
Representing  New Zealand
Women's rugby union
Women's Rugby World Cup
Gold medal – first place2010 EnglandTeam competition
Gold medal – first place2017 IrelandTeam competition
Women's rugby sevens
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place2016 Rio de JaneiroTeam competition
Gold medal – first place2020 TokyoTeam competition
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place2018 Gold CoastTeam competition
Bronze medal – third place2022 BirminghamTeam competition
Rugby World Cup Sevens
Gold medal – first place2013 MoscowTeam competition
Gold medal – first place2018 San FranciscoTeam competition
Silver medal – second place2022 Cape TownTeam competition

Kelly Brazier (born 28 October 1989) is a New Zealand rugby union and sevens player. She has played flyhalf, centre and fullback for the Black Ferns, New Zealand's women's national rugby team, and has competed at three Rugby World Cups in 2010, 2014, and 2017. She has represented Otago, Canterbury and the Bay of Plenty in the Farah Palmer Cup.

Brazier has also represented the Black Ferns sevens team in the Olympic Games, the Rugby World Cup Sevens, the Women's Sevens Series, and the Commonwealth Games. She has won gold medals in every major sevens tournaments.

Early career

Brazier was born in Dunedin to an English father and an Irish mother who came to New Zealand with their first child Tony. Her sport career started at five when her two-years-older brother took her to a rugby field, and was split between touch in summer and rugby during winter.

Brazier was in New Zealand's U21 mixed touch team at 14 and in New Zealand secondary schoolgirls team at 15. She also began to play in Alhambra Union rugby in 2003 and Otago Spirit provincial selection in 2004.[1] She entered New Zealand rugby's record books on 2 May 2009, when she scored 64 points – ten tries and seven conversions – for her club in the Otago Metropolitan Women's Premier match against Kaikorai at the University Oval in Dunedin.[2]

Rugby career

2009–10

Brazier made her international debut against England on 14 November 2009 at Pillar Data Arena, in Esher, when Black Ferns won 16–3.[3] In the second test match played at Twickenham in front of a record crowd of 12500 people Black Ferns was defeated 10–3.[4]

Brazier was among the nominees for the 2009 Steinlager Rugby Awards for NZRU Women's Player of the Year with Carla Hohepa and Victoria Heighway, who won.[5][6] She was also named the Otago Institute of Sport and Adventure's top sportsperson in 2009 and 2010.[7]

Brazier took part in the 2010 Women's Rugby World Cup, playing a key role in the Black Ferns' success in the final against England and becoming the leading point scorer with 4 tries, 11 conversions and 2 penalties.[8][9] She scored her first try during the match against South Africa thanks to a fine pass by Anna Richards.[10]

2011

After going to coach and play for Clan Rugby in Edmonton, Canada for four months, Brazier went back to New Zealand for the start of Women's NPC with Canterbury. In spite of a good debut with her new team – two tries in a 60–0 win over Hawke's Bay Tuis[11] – and some other victories against Manawatu Cyclones and her former team Otago Spirit, Canterbury failed to reach the final.[12]

In October 2011, she was called by New Zealand head coach Grant Hansen to play three tests against England, a tour which concluded with two losses and a draw for Black Ferns and only 5 points for her (a conversion and a penalty).

2017–19

Brazier was named in the squad for the 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup.[13][14] At the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Brazier was scored the winning try in the grand final against Australia, running 80 metres and securing gold for New Zealand. In 2019, she was part of the winning team of the Women's Super Rugby Series.[15]

2022

Brazier was named in the Black Ferns Sevens squad for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.[16][17] She won a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games.[18][19] She later won a silver medal in her third Rugby World Cup Sevens in Cape Town.[20][21][22]

2023

After the final leg of the 2022–23 Women's Sevens Series, Brazier took an eight-week sabbatical in Japan to coach the Brave Louve in the 2023 Taiyo Seimei Women’s Sevens Series.[23][24] Her role as ‘spot coach’ included working on the game plan and player skills.[24]

Returning to the New Zealand team for the 2023-24 season Brazier scoring her one hundredth try in the team's quarterfinal win over Brazil in the Dubai tournament on 2–3 December 2023.[25]

Personal life

Brazier is openly lesbian and her wife Tahlia gave birth to their first child in 2020.[26][27]

References

  1. ↑ Marion Mouat (24 August 2011). "Kelly Brazier, a remarkable rugby talent". Aoraki Polytechnic Newsline. Archived from the original on 9 October 2011. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
  2. ↑ Alistair McMurran (5 May 2009). "Dunedin teen bags NZ scoring record". Otago Daily Times. Archived from the original on 6 May 2009. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
  3. ↑ "Black Ferns team named for first test against England". 13 November 2009. Archived from the original on 25 May 2010. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
  4. ↑ "England's women boost confidence with NZ win". 22 November 2009. Archived from the original on 11 November 2010. Retrieved 15 November 2010.
  5. ↑ "Remaining nominees for 2009 Steinlager Rugby Awards". 4 December 2009. Archived from the original on 7 December 2009. Retrieved 15 November 2010.
  6. ↑ "2009 Steinlager Rugby Awards winners announced". 18 December 2009. Archived from the original on 26 March 2012. Retrieved 15 November 2010.
  7. ↑ "Brazier again wins institute award". Otago Daily Times. 23 October 2010. Archived from the original on 17 October 2012. Retrieved 15 November 2010.
  8. ↑ "New Zealand crowned world champions". 5 September 2010. Archived from the original on 10 December 2010. Retrieved 28 November 2010.
  9. ↑ "Final statistics". 6 September 2010. Archived from the original on 27 February 2011. Retrieved 28 November 2010.
  10. ↑ "Pool A: Australia and New Zealand enjoy wins". 20 August 2010. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
  11. ↑ "Dream start for Canty". The Timaru Herald. 1 August 2011. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
  12. ↑ "Women storm into provincial rugby final". The Dominion Post. 29 August 2011. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
  13. ↑ "Black Ferns squad for 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup named". All Blacks. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  14. ↑ "Black Ferns World Cup squad named". Radio New Zealand. 5 July 2017. Archived from the original on 13 August 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  15. ↑ "Black Ferns skipper Les Elder returns for Super Series decider against England". Stuff.co.nz. 13 July 2019. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  16. ↑ "Rugby Sevens teams named for Commonwealth Games". All Blacks. 29 June 2022. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  17. ↑ "Experienced New Zealand sevens squads revealed for Commonwealth Games". Stuff. 29 June 2022. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  18. ↑ McConnell, Lynn (1 August 2022). "Double bronze for New Zealand Sevens sides in Birmingham". All Blacks. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
  19. ↑ "NZ Sevens sides bounce back to win bronze medals". 1 News. 1 August 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
  20. ↑ Julian, Adam (12 September 2022). "New Zealand sides scoop silver in Cape Town". All Blacks. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  21. ↑ "NZ Sevens come up short, losing World Cup finals in Cape Town". 1 News. 12 September 2022. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  22. ↑ Wilson, Sam (11 September 2022). "Recap: New Zealand's men and women beaten in Rugby World Cup Sevens finals in Cape Town". Stuff. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  23. ↑ "Kelly Brazier to embrace coaching opportunity". All Blacks. 26 April 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  24. 1 2 McFadden, Suzanne (26 April 2023). "Black Ferns Sevens star to coach in Japan". NZ Herald. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  25. ↑ "Kelly Brazier scores 100th career try as Black Ferns Sevens progress to semifinals in Dubai". Stuff. 3 December 2023. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
  26. ↑ "'It's what gets me out of bed every day' - Black Fern Kelly Brazier embracing huge 2020". 1 NEWS. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  27. ↑ "Tiny fan gives Kelly Brazier new zest for rugby". Stuff. 27 May 2020. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
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