At a glance
Adjusting to provincial rugby is a welcome change of pace for Black Fern Kendra Cocksedge after a media onslaught with the national team.
Cocksedge will slot into her Canterbury side for the defending champions’ opening Farah Palmer Cup match against Bay of Plenty tomorrow.
Last week in the leadup to the second Black Ferns-Wallaroos test in Auckland, the nuggety halfback was a tad taken aback at the media interest in the team.
The Black Ferns had more cameras and reporters surrounding them than when they returned home from the UK a year ago with the World Cup in hand.
‘‘Being in front of that many [media] I get a bit nervous. I already talk quite fast. I am always conscious I need to slow down . . . but that’s me, I guess,’’ Cocksedge said.
Promoted by coach Glenn Moore to share the vice-captaincy with Silica Winiata, Cocksedge is one of the more chatty players in the group.
One of the smarter brains of the game, she doubles as the Canterbury Rugby women’s development officer to round out a fulltime job in rugby.
‘‘For me I just absolutely love it, seeing all these young girls. We are role models for these girls. When we rock up to events these girls are like, ‘oh my God, Kendra is here’, or ‘we’ve got the Black Ferns here’. We never really used to have that and now it is constantly happening.’’
With her Black Ferns duties on hold until November, she is excited to get back on the field with her Canterbury mates. Canterbury hold the provincial silverware after claiming a maiden Farah Palmer Cup title and the JJ Stewart Trophy last year.
The competition expands to 12 teams this season with the inclusion of Taranaki, but Auckland and Counties Manukau are considered the main contenders.
Cocksedge has taken it as her personal duty to nurture the younger Black Ferns coming through the ranks because she remembers how intimidating it Farah Palmer Cup teams 2018: Premiership: Bay of Plenty, Canterbury, Counties Manukau, Waikato, Auckland and Manawatu. Championship: Wellington, Otago, North Harbour, Tasman, Hawke’s Bay and Taranaki. Round one, tomorrow:
❚ Auckland v Manawatu, Bell Park, Pakuranga 11.30am
❚ Bay of Plenty v Canterbury, Tauranga Domain, Tauranga 11.35am
❚ Otago v North Harbour, University Oval, Dunedin 12pm
❚ Hawke’s Bay v Wellington, Tremain Field, Park Island 1pm
❚ Waikato v Counties Manukau, Taupiri 1pm
❚ Tasman v Taranaki, Motueka 2.35pm