Ilze was born in South Africa and moved to Auckland with her family as a teenager. After she finished school, she initially trained as an Osteopath, during which she obtained a master’s degree. She then returned for further medical training at the University of Otago, where she graduated in 2015. Prior to commencing the ACSEP training program at Axis in 2021, Ilze worked across all the Auckland DHBs, gaining valuable in-hospital experience. On the side, she also worked in the Axis Sports Concussion Clinic for two years, managing acute concussion patients at both our St Johns and North Shore Clinics. Ilze spent 2024 working as a Sport and Exercise Physician Registrar at High Performance Sport New Zealand, while also working in Urgent Care, before returning to Axis in 2025.
Ilze has a keen interest in all sports and has been involved with several sports teams and event medical coverage, both internationally and domestically. During her medical training, she spent time with the Western Province Rugby Team during their Currie Cup campaign in Cape Town, South Africa, in 2015. Ilze has a strong background working in Rugby Union. She was the team doctor for the Auckland Men’s NPC Rugby Team for 5 years and has also served as locum team doctor to the Blues, Crusaders, as well as the Canadian Women’s Rugby Team. These days, Ilze is a regular match day doctor in Rugby Union at both Super Rugby Pacific, Super Rugby Aupiki and Test Match Rugby level (The Rugby Championship).
Ilze has also been involved in a number of international sports events, including as Medical Director during the 2022 Men’s Softball World Cup, Locum team doctor for Cycling NZ during their pre-Olympic training camp in Switzerland in 2024, and Locum team doctor for the Men’s Black Sticks during their pre-Commonwealth Games European tour in 2022. She has also been a tournament doctor during the ASB Classic Tennis for 3 years, and medical manager and match day doctor for Global Rapid Rugby in 2019.
Ilze has always enjoyed participating in a variety of sports to keep fit and healthy, with a personal background in track and field, cross country running, hockey and cricket. Outside of work, Ilze enjoys spending time with family and friends.
Current:
• Match Day Doctor Super Rugby Pacific, Super Rugby Aupiki, Test Match Rugby, NPC
Previous:
• Locum Event Doctor: Sir Graeme Douglas International Athletics, 2025
• Sport and Exercise Physician Registrar at HPSNZ, 2024
• Match Day Doctor Women’s Domestic Cricket, 2024
• Locum Team Doctor Cycling NZ pre-Olympic training camp, Switzerland, 2024
• Doctor Urgent Care, 2024
• Doctor Ironman NZ, 2024
• Match Day Doctor Oceania U20 Rugby Union, 2024
• Team Doctor Tonga League (Men’s A and Women’s Teams), 2023
• Match Day Doctor Breakers Basketball, 2023
• Match Day Doctor Women’s Rugby World Cup, 2022
• Team Doctor Auckland Men’s Rugby NPC, 2019-2023
• Locum Team Doctor NSW Cup (Warriors), 2023
• Medical Director Men’s Softball World Cup, 2022
• Tournament Doctor ASB Classic Tennis, 2019-2020, 2024
• Axis Acute Concussion Clinic, 2019-2020
• Men’s Blacksticks Team Doctor Pre-Commonwealth Games European Tour, 2022
• Locum Team Doctor Canadian Women’s Rugby Team Pacific Four Series, 2022
• Locum Team Doctor Trans-Tasman Men’s Hockey Series, 2022
• Locum Team Doctor Trans-Tasman Women’s Hockey Series, 2022
• Locum Team Doctor Crusaders Super Rugby pre-season, 2021
• Team Doctor NZ Warriors Women NRL Nines Tournament, 2020
• Locum Team Doctor Blues Super Rugby Team vs. Waratahs, 2020
• Team Doctor Blues A Rugby Team, 2020
• Team Doctor Blues U20 Rugby Team, 2020
• Team Doctor Northern Stars Premier Netball Team, 2019
• Match Day Doctor ANZ Premiership Netball, 2019
• Locum Team Doctor North Sydney Bears U20 Rugby League Team, 2019
• Medical Manager and Match Day Doctor Global Rapid Rugby, 2019
• Tournament Doctor Upper North Island Secondary Schools (UNISS) Netball, 2019
• Doctor at the Sports Injury Clinic (North Harbour Netball), 2019
• Match Day Doctor NZ Secondary Schools vs. Australian Schools (Rugby Union), 2019
• Match Day Doctor NZ Rugby Invitational Tertiary Women’s Sevens Championship, 2019
• Event Doctor Cross Country Equestrian (Eventing Championships), 2019
• Match Day Doctor Counties Manukau Provincial Union Sevens Rugby Tournament, 2018
• Match Day Doctor Mitre 10 Cup Rugby (Counties Manukau), 2018
• Tournament Doctor NZ Secondary Schools Boys Football Tournament, 2018
• Event Doctor North Shore Marathon, 2018
• Event Doctor Auckland Central Masters Marathon Swim, 2018
• Event Doctor Panasonic People’s Triathlon Series, 2018
• Event Doctor Xterra Rotorua Festival Extreme Multisport Event, 2018
• Event Doctor Huntly Half Marathon, 2018
• Event Doctor Maungatautari Mission Multisport Event, 2018
• Event Doctor Spookers ‘Run for your Freak’n Life’ large 5km fun run, 2018
• Event Doctor Challenge Wanaka, 2017
