Cocksedge is NZ’s best

Black Ferns halfback Kendra Cocksedge made history on Thursday when she became the first woman to be named the Kelvin R Tremain Memorial Player of the Year.

Cocksedge, a 47-Test cap Black Fern and playmaker for the successful back-to-back Farah Palmer Cup champions Canterbury was in sublime form in 2018.

She emerged the winner of the prestigious award from a strong field of nominees featuring All Blacks Brodie Retallick, Richie Mo’unga, and Codie Taylor.

She was also named the New Zealand Rugby Women’s Player of the Year – her second time (last in 2015) winning that award – and won the Fiao’o Faamausili Medal for player of the Farah Palmer Cup. The awards cement her status as the most outstanding player in 15s rugby in New Zealand – male or female – in 2018. She joins an impressive alumnus of previous winners including Sam Whitelock, Beauden Barrett, Ma’a Nonu, Retallick, Kieran Read and Richie McCaw. The Black Ferns Sevens were crowned the New Zealand Team of Year – their first time winning the honour after a remarkable year with double-gold at the Commonwealth Games and at the Rugby

World Cup 7s.

This year’s expanded awards celebrated the best of Provincial and Super Rugby teams with back-toback Super Rugby champions, the Crusaders, winning the inaugural National Team of the Year and Auckland head coach Alama Ieremia named the National Coach of the Year. Kelvin R Tremain Memorial Player of the Year: Kendra Cocksedge (Canterbury);

National Team of the Year: Crusaders;

New Zealand Team of the Year: Black Ferns Sevens;

New Zealand Coach of the Year: Clark Laidlaw (All Blacks Sevens); Super Rugby Player of the Year: Richie Mo’unga (Crusaders);

Tom French Memorial Maori Player of the Year: Codie Taylor (Ngati Raukawa/Muaupoko); Richard Crawshaw Memorial All Blacks Sevens Player of the Year: Scott Curry (Bay of Plenty); Black Ferns Sevens Player of the Year: Michaela Blyde (Bay of Plenty);

New Zealand Rugby Women’s Player of the Year: Kendra Cocksedge (Canterbury);

Fans Try of the Year: Chris Hala’ufia (St Peter’s College); New Zealand Rugby Referee of the Year: Glen Jackson (Bay of Plenty); Charles Monro Rugby Volunteer of the Year: Irene Eruera-Taiapa (Horowhenua Kapiti)

New Zealand Rugby Age Grade Player of the Year: Tom Christie (Canterbury); Mitre 10 Heartland Championship Player of the Year: Brett Ranga (Thames Valley);

Duane Monkley Medal: Luke Romano (Canterbury);

Fiao’o Faamausili Medal: Kendra Cocksedge (Canterbury); National Coach of the Year: Alama Ieremia (Auckland); Previous Kelvin R Tremain award winners (last 10 years):

2017: Samuel Whitelock; 2016: Beauden Barrett; 2015: Ma’a Nonu

2014: Brodie Retallick; 2013: Kieran Read

2012: Richie McCaw; 2011: Jerome Kaino; 2010: Kieran Read

2009: Richie McCaw; 2008: Andrew Hore