Cocksedge happy to keep the chat going
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 was when she first arrived on the national scene aged 19.
Twelve years later she feels like one of the more seasoned players.
‘‘You do feel old, but it means taking the younger girls under my wing and looking out for them. For me, being the vicecaptain and a leader of the team, I really enjoy it, making sure everyone’s settled in.
‘‘I remember coming in at 19 and you had some older girls who were a little bit scary, so you kind of just want to make sure you take these new ones under your wing, because it’s quite daunting.’’
Cocksedge is playing some of the best rugby of her life. In last Saturday’s 45-17 win against the Wallaroos she scored 15 points, including a try.
Job security isn’t a given, however.
‘‘You are never comfortable in a position, it’s one of those situations where the jersey, you are a caretaker of it.’’
Cocksedge celebrated her 30th birthday last month, but her only thoughts around retiring is taking it ‘‘year by year’’.
‘‘If the body is feeling good and I am enjoying playing it . . . I love coming in to camp. I am still loving it and I still love training so why not keep going otherwise you are retired a long time.
‘‘If we get to see a World Cup in New Zealand I would actually be keen to try to stick around if the body is holding up. That would be cool, to play the World Cup on your home turf.’’