68-Test Black Fern finds multiple positives in comprehensive defeat

In what was a hugely disappointing semi-final in Bristol on Saturday, former Black Fern and legend of Women’s Rugby in New Zealand, Kendra Cocksedge, has found some positives from the heavy defeat.

The Black Ferns have struggled at the start of most of their games in this year’s World Cup in England, and were hurt by it once again against Canada, who managed to get ahead by 31-7 at one point.

But despite the Black Ferns being completely outplayed in most facets of the game, Cocksedge has highlighted the emergence of loose forward Kaipo Olsen Baker as a positive from the game.

“We’ve got to give credit to the Black Ferns for the brilliance, they had patches of it and it just unfortunately wasn’t for the whole, the whole 80 minutes,” Cocksedge told Daniel McHardy on Sport Nation’s Saturday Session.

“And for someone like Kaipo Olsen-Baker I think she had 24 carries, which is, like, huge in a match, and it looked like she was trying to carry it all on her shoulders.”

There has been a fair amount of discussion surrounding rugby circles around how professional athletes were beaten by amateurs, but Cocksedge doesn’t see it that way.

“Like, I don’t look at it as amateur, and probably get that that is the case, but at the same time, in terms of the way Canada play, like they play with a lot of heart and a lot of drive.

“It is a lot harder when you go to work and work full time and train at the same time, that’s what you can almost bring to it, it’s just added that extra bit of heart and you can see them playing for that.

“Because they’re playing for more, because they’ve left work behind and at home and stuff. So I think it’s really, it’s really cool to be able to see a team actually join together and play like that.”

It’s a long way away now, but Cocksedge feels excited about what the future holds for the Black Ferns and Women’s rugby in New Zealand, even though many will be hurting after Saturday’s defeat.

“We’ve got the players there, we’ve got the players coming through, you can always argue that there needs to be more Test matches, or it could be, you know, expanded.

“There’s all these things that kind of come into play. But at the end of the day that management coaching group, had to put their best foot forward to get this team and get the platforms well prepared for the World Cup.

“But, a Braxton Sorensee-McGee, she’s 18 years old, and I know just from my role within the space, another pathway, a lot of the young talent coming through, we’re just going to continue to finish with them and grow them.

“I’m really looking forward to the next World Cup, to be honest with you, I’m like, okay, so what we do now for the next four years to make sure those players are coming through, and again, they can be well supported and get what they need.”