The stalwart has nearly done it all for the Black Ferns and Black Ferns Sevens across the past 15 years.
Brazier is a dual World Cup winner with the Black Ferns in 2010 and 2017, and won Olympic and Commonwealth Games medals — she will long be remembered for her 80m dash to score in extra-time in 2018 — and World Cups as a long-serving member of the Black Ferns Sevens.
But all that might not have happened if it were not for the Otago Spirit.
Brazier, who was named at second five in the World Rugby women’s team of the 2010-19 decade, is currently pulling on the black jersey at her fourth Rugby World Cup, in England, alongside fellow Otago halfback Maia Joseph in her debut pinnacle event.
But 20 years ago, a fresh-faced Brazier was plucked from Otago Girls’ High School as a year 11 to pull on the blue and gold jersey and made her Spirit debut.
"I’ve honestly got a lot of memories," Brazier said of her time with the Spirit.
"I was pretty excited to miss a Friday of school, and sometimes a Monday, because of the travel that was required," she laughed.
The classy back played for the Spirit — who are celebrating 25 years this season — from 2005 to 2009 and returned for another stint in 2012.
She holds the record for the most points in a game for the Spirit (45) against Hawke’s Bay in 2012 and is first-equal for conversions made (10) in the same game.
"It’s different down in Dunedin.
"You’ve obviously got the people that live there, but quite a lot of the girls that were in the team were down there for university.
"I got to play with the likes of some pretty cool Black Ferns, like Anna Richards ... Claire Richardson, Kathleen Wilton, and then some pretty cool coaches like John Kyle, in my time," Brazier said.
"I loved my time with the Spirit. That’s crazy it’s 25 years."
Joseph came through the ranks in Otago, playing for the Spirit from 2020 to 2022 before injury ruled her out in 2023.
International duties have limited her game time since, but the halfback still makes the trip home when she can and linked up with the Spirit for a training session before heading to England.
That speaks to the culture created at the Spirit, something Joseph relished during her time in the jersey.
"The thing I remember the most was just the friendships," Joseph said.
"It’s obviously not a professional team, but the buy-in from all the girls ... they train like a professional team.
"They’re not paid and they don’t get anything from it except for the connections and getting to play rugby.
"For me, it was always the friendships and seeing how hard people at FPC work because ... they’re coming to training, they’re going to work and they’re studying."
"She played for the Spirit, she’s from Dunedin and she’s gone on to do some pretty amazing things," Joseph said.
"I definitely take pride in being from Otago. I’ll always give back to that team as much as I can because I wouldn’t be here without them."
Maddie Feaunati, who played eight games for the Spirit in 2020-21, is playing for England at the World Cup.
Otago Spirit Black Ferns
Margaret McKenzie (2000)
Hannah Porter (nee Myers) (2000)
Claire Richardson (2003)
Kamila Wihongi (2005)
Shannon Willoughby (2005)
Catherine de Jong (2005)
Pikihuis Ruffell (nee Solomon) (2005)
Beth Mallard (2006)
Carla Hohepa (2007)
Anika Tiplady (2007)
Kathleen Wilton (2007)
Aimee Sutorius (2007)
Hallie Hurring (2008)
Kelly Brazier (2009)
Victoria Nafatali (2012)
Pip Love (2014)
Angie Sisifa (2015)
Kilisitina Moata’ane (2019)
Amy Rule (2021)
Amy du Plessis (2022)
Rosie Kelly (2023)
Maia Joseph (2024)
Otago Black Ferns before the Spirit era: Helen Littleworth (1989), Heidi Reader (1989), Anna Richards (1990), Sue Garden (1992), Fiona King (nee Barclay) (1996), Annaleah Rush (1996), Farah Palmer (1996), Jacinta Neilsen (1997), Monalisa Codling (1998), Maree Edwards (1998), Mata Piho (1998).
• TOMORROW: TEGAN HOLLOWS - PRIDE OF OTAGO
