We’re building nicely, says Black Ferns star
Kendra Cocksedge is on some roll, and the nuggety little Black Ferns halfback is not finished yet as she eyes a potential crowning achievement in 2021.
Cocksedge and the Black Ferns completed yet another Laurie O’Reilly Memorial Trophy series sweep over the Wallaroos at Eden Park on Saturday night when they kicked away from the Aussies to secure a 37-8 victory.
That followed their 47-10 thumping of the same opponents a week earlier in Perth and extended the Ferns’ perfect record against their transTasman rivals to 19-0. There are certainly not many Kiwi national sides that can boast that sort of dominance over their equivalents from across the ditch.
It also completed another outstanding year for the women’s rugby world champions, with the Black Ferns also claiming the Super Series title in San Diego and finishing 2019 with a 5-1 record – their only defeat coming against the emerging French side in the US.
Cocksedge, as ever, was instrumental in the Ferns’ triumph at Eden Park, putting in 62 quality minutes behind a dominant pack, setting up a try to Carla Hohepa with a typical piece of quick thinking, and then watching most of the final quarter from the comfort of the bench.
The 2018 New Zealand rugby player of the year (the first female to claim the sport’s top individual honour) also got another special moment at Eden Park at halftime of the Bledisloe matchup when she was presented her ceremonial silver cap to mark her 50th international for the Ferns by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
Cocksedge is just the second New Zealander to achieve the milestone, following on from legendary former skipper Fiao’o Fa’amausili.
The 31-year-old Cantabrian said she was rapt to complete the series sweep over the Aussies and said they ticked some key boxes in their last two tests for the year.
‘‘We’ve got a lot of new girls and the most important thing was getting them out there and giving them some game time,’’ she said.
‘‘Even after that game, we still feel believe we’ve got more to give. We haven’t talked about that yet, but that’s definitely how I feel.’’
Cocksedge conceded it was all about building towards the 2021 World Cup now for the Ferns (10 of their squad on Saturday possessed 10 caps or fewer) as they eye a first global crown on home soil. The little No 9 will also be shooting for a personal trifecta after being part of the 2010 and 2017 triumphs.