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Kendra Cocksedge smashes glass ceiling at national rugby awards
Kendra Cocksedge grew up idolising the All Blacks because she didn’t know much about the Black Ferns.
Now, she’s helping to drive the rise of women’s rugby in New Zealand.
The 47-test Black Fern and Canterbury halfback took out the Kelvin R Tremain award for overall player of the year at the New Zealand Rugby awards in Auckland last night, becoming the first woman to claim the honour. The 30-year-old beat out All Blacks Brodie Retallick, Codie Taylor and Richie Mo’unga to claim the award. Previous winners include Sam Whitelock, Beauden Barrett, Ma’a Nonu, Kieran Read and Richie McCaw.
“It puts women’s rugby on the national stage,” said Cocksedge, who looked genuinely surprised as she walked up to receive the award. “I’m hoping there’s a young me out there watching and hoping to aspire to win an award like this in the future.
“It’s cool for me to be able to be the person to do it and hopefully give back and give a young girl the opportunity to live the dream that I get to live.”
Cocksedge was also named women’s player of the year, for the second time, and presented with the Fiao’o Faamausili Medal for the most points in this year’s Farah Palmer Cup, the elite women’s domestic tournament.
In another key moment for women’s sport, the Black Ferns Sevens were crowned team of the year for the first time after winning gold at the Commonwealth Games and Rugby World Cup 7s.
NZ Rugby chairman Brent Impey said it had been another positive year for women’s rugby. “Kendra’s award tonight is another remarkable achievement, and her utterly sublime performances in both the Black Ferns and Canterbury jersey have clearly made her a standout individual, and she thoroughly deserves the many accolades she has received.”
Named world women’s player of the year in 2015, Cocksedge also played cricket at a national representative level.
“My motivation at the moment is to keep enjoying being given the opportunity and being grateful for wearing the black jersey but also I really want to get to 50 tests for the Black Ferns and still be playing some of my best rugby,” she told World Rugby last month.
Black Ferns player Kendra Cocksedge last night made history by becoming the first woman to receive the top honour at the annual national rugby awards in Auckland.
Cocksedge, a halfback who represents Farah Palmer Cup champions Canterbury, was named the Kelvin R Tremain Memorial player of the year. She beat All Blacks Richie Mo’unga, Brodie Retallick and Codie Taylor.
Cocksedge, who has played 47 tests, also won the NZ Rugby women’s player of the year, the second time she has taken the award, and also the Fiao’o Faamausili Medal for the most points — awarded on a merit basis — in this year’s Farah Palmer Cup.
The 30-year-old’s overall win recognises her status as the top player in New Zealand and the importance of women’s rugby. Previous winners of the Kelvin R Tremain Memorial player of the year include Richie McCaw, Dan Carter, Kieran Read, Sam Whitelock and Beauden Barrett.
The women’s sevens team were crowned New Zealand team of the year — their first time winning the honour after twin triumphs at the Commonwealth Games and at the Rugby World Cup sevens.
Super Rugby champions the Crusaders won the inaugural national team of the year award, with Auckland ITM Cup head coach Alama Ieremia winning the national coach of the year award ahead of Crusaders coach Scott Robertson, who won his second title as coach in two years.
Crusaders’ first-five Mo’unga saw off teammate Matt Todd and the Chiefs’ Solomon Alaimalo to win Super Rugby player of the year; Crusaders and All Blacks hooker Codie Taylor was named the Tom French Memorial Ma¯ori Player of the Year, and Crusaders and Canterbury lock Luke Romano was awarded the Duane Monkley Medal for most merit points in the Mitre 10 Cup.
New Zealand Rugby’s highest recognition of an outstanding contribution to rugby, the Steinlager Salver, was awarded to All Blacks legend Waka Nathan, who was chosen by the New Zealand Rugby Board. The NZRPA David Kirk Award was presented to All Blacks centurion Keven Mealamu and Black Ferns skipper Fiao’o
Faamausili for their contributions to the game off the field.
“It has been a wonderful and successful year right across rugby,” NZ Rugby chairman Brent Impey said.
“It has been another positive year for women’s rugby, particularly for the Black Ferns sevens and their continued dominance on the world stage.
“Kendra’s award tonight is another remarkable achievement, and her utterly sublime performances in both the Black Ferns and Canterbury jerseys have clearly made her a standout individual, and she thoroughly deserves the many accolades she has received.”