Iritana Hohaia

Iritana Hohaia (born 1 March 2000) is a New Zealand rugby union player. She plays halfback for Taranaki provincially and for Hurricanes Poua professionally.

Iritana Hohaia
Date of birth (2000-03-01) 1 March 2000
Place of birthNew Plymouth, New Zealand
Height1.64 m (5 ft 5 in)
Weight65 kg (143 lb)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Halfback
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
2019–Present Taranaki 9 (25)
Super Rugby
Years Team Apps (Points)
2022 Hurricanes Poua (0)
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2023  New Zealand 1 (5)

Personal life

Hohaia was born in Ōpunake in Taranaki. She began playing club rugby at Coastal as a child and has also played representative Basketball.[1]

Rugby career

2018–20

Hohaia won a gold medal with the New Zealand Sevens team at the 2018 Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires.[2] She was named Taranaki Whio's Player of the Year in 2019.[3] In 2020, she played for the Possibles against the Probables in a Black Ferns trial match[4][5] and then later appeared for the New Zealand Barbarians against the Black Ferns.[6][2]

2021–23

For 2021 she was selected for the Black Ferns squad for two test matches against England and France.[7][8] She was contracted by the Hurricanes Poua for their first-ever women's squad for the inaugural season of Super Rugby Aupiki.[9]

Hohaia received her first fulltime Black Ferns contract in 2023, she was one of three players whose names were finalised to join the contracted group.[10] She was selected in the Black Ferns 30-player squad to compete in the Pacific Four Series and O’Reilly Cup.[11][12] She made her international debut against Australia on 29 June 2023 at Brisbane.[13][14] She then featured in her sides 21–52 victory over Canada at the Pacific Four Series in Ottawa.[15][16]

References
  1. "Iritana Hohaia". New Zealand Olympic Team. 18 June 2018. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  2. Perry, James (9 October 2021). "From Youth Olympics to Black Ferns, another dream come true for Hohaia". Māori Television. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  3. "Brown and Hohaia claim top prize at Rugby Awards". www.trfu.co.nz. 10 October 2019. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  4. "Possibles v Probables named for Black Ferns trial match". allblacks.com. 4 November 2020. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  5. "Bay of Plenty women named in Possibles v Probables". NZ Herald. 4 November 2020. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  6. Powell, Jennie (12 November 2020). "Teams named for Black Ferns v NZ Barbarians". 4 The Love Of Sport. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  7. Johnston, Will (6 September 2021). "Iritana Hohaia selected in Black Ferns for upcoming tour". Stuff. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  8. "Taranaki's Iritana Hohaia selected in Black Ferns for upcoming tour". NZ Herald. 7 September 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  9. "Hurricanes Women's Squad Named in Historic Announcement". Hurricanes. 3 November 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  10. "Final three contracted Black Ferns players confirmed for 2023". allblacks.com. 30 April 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  11. "First Black Ferns squad of 2023 named". allblacks.com. 7 June 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  12. "Nine rookies named in first Black Ferns squad of 2023". NZ Herald. 7 June 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  13. "PREVIEW: Black Ferns v Wallaroos (Brisbane)". allblacks.com. 29 June 2023. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  14. Burnes, Campbell (30 June 2023). "Black Ferns run rampant in Redcliffe". allblacks.com. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  15. "Black Ferns fly past Canada in front of record crowd in Ottawa". Americas Rugby News. 9 July 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  16. Burnes, Campbell (9 July 2023). "Black Ferns secure WXV1 qualification with Ottawa victory". allblacks.com. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
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