The Otago Spirit hooker has been trying to soak up as much information as she can from her new team-mates.
Hollows has joined Matatu for Super Rugby Aupiki this year and has been loving the chance to tap into the minds of elite players and coaches.
"It’s been amazing," Hollows said yesterday.
"Getting to train next to some of the best players in the world is pretty unreal, so I’m just trying to soak up as much information they can give me and the coaching and the management team.
"There’s just so many different resources you have at that next step that I’m just trying to [use]."
Among those players are Georgia Ponsonby, the Black Ferns hooker whose brain Hollows has been picking.
"They’re actually all just so supportive and willing to just help me out.
"They definitely just want you to grow as a player.
"They have just been so amazing and training alongside them is just showing me what I need to be doing to be that next step."
When Super Rugby Aupiki was introduced three years ago, it pushed Hollows to work harder at the Spirit to put her name forward for the next level.
"Obviously, it was a massive jump between FPC [Farah Palmer Cup] to Black Ferns, so I never really saw myself making that jump.
"But when I found out there was going to be a Super team, it was definitely a goal of mine.
"I was so stoked this year when I got the phone call."
Hollows is one of five Otago Spirit players included in the Matatu squad this year, something that made her proud.
"It’s awesome.
"I think it’s cool for our region.
"I just think like younger girls, and then even girls around our age, hearing we’re able to make this team means that they know . . . you don’t have to be in Christchurch, you can make it from down south, which is always good."
Hollows has relocated from Balclutha to Lincoln,where Matatu trained, for the season, but was still working as an accountant for Balclutha firm Shand Thomson, thanks to Leech and Partners giving her an office space in Christchurch.
She was looking forward to heading south again soon for Matatu’s opening game against the Blues in Invercargill next Saturday.
