Kendra Cocksedge scores 21 points in farewell to Canterbury rugby fans
EVERYONE wanted a piece of Kendra Cocksedge after her 100th and final game for Canterbury.
Fans lined up for autographs, or simply a word, well after Cocksedge scored 21 points to power Canterbury to a 41-14 rout of Auckland in the Farah Palmer Cup final yesterday.
Cocksedge, having got her fairytale finish alongside prop and fellow centurion Steph Te Ohaere-Fox, gave everyone her time at Christchurch’s Rugby Park, renamed after the retiring duo for the day. She’d earlier broke down while addressing the crowd during the post-match presentation, overwhelmed by the perfect sign-off. ‘‘It feels awesome. What a way to end with the redand-blacks. Dominant performance with my mates, here at Rugby Park,’’ she said.
Cocksedge scored a 40m intercept try and kicked four penalties and two conversions (six from six), to propel Canterbury to their fifth title in six years.
The hosts had led 13-7 at halftime, before running rampant with a stiff and nippy breeze at their backs after the break.
Cocksedge scored one of her team’s five tries – a 40m intercept – after Canterbury destroyed Auckland’s scrum, and she anticipated a panicked pass.
With the game in the bag with 12 minutes to play, coach Blair Baxter opted to substitute the halfback and give her a deserved moment in the limelight.
The locals obliged, dishing up a rousing applause as she made her way off Rugby Park for the last time in a red-and-black jersey.
‘‘That’s always a pretty cool feeling. You never know if you’re going to come off or stay on the field, it was quite cool to sub off and just enjoy that moment,’’ she said. ‘‘That is what it was about . . . enjoying the moment and enjoying the game, having fun.’’
Cocksedge’s try was the 68th of her career, giving her a record 1085 points in her career, which started against Otago in 2007.
‘‘The greats of our games . . . they play consistently 85% of the time, and every now and then they have a special game, and today was that . . . she was the master of old,’’ Baxter said.
The 34-year-old, who will hang up the boots for good after the looming World Cup on home soil, suspected during the week a
special Canterbury performance
was brewing. She’d sensed the energy, the desire to send her and Te Ohaere-Fox off on a high.
There was also some chat out of Auckland’s camp regarding Canterbury not liking physicality – something which certainly arched them up.
But there was also All Blacks, Crusaders and Canterbury great Richie McCaw presenting the team jerseys, something organised by Cocksedge.
‘‘I just flicked him a message . . . straight away he said he’d be there. He’s played in multiple finals. Steph read out his accolades, and it was just going on and on and on, because he’s just the GOAT (greatest of all time).
’’He was like, ‘I’m not going to speak for too long’, and I said ‘mate, your presence in the room is all that’s needed’.’’
Te Ohaere-Fox helped Canterbury’s pack bully Auckland, particularly at scrum time, much to the delight of Baxter, who has won two titles in three years as coach.