'He's canned all of our fitness testing': The shake-up in England camp
Considering both teams Amy Cokayne plays for, the 25-year-old hooker is used to having opposition (especially underdog teams) bring the best version of themselves to the field when coming up against her teams, the number one international side in the world England, and the reigning Premier 15s champions, Harlequins.
“Being reigning champions in the Premiership, there is a target on your back and every week teams bring their ‘A’ game and we welcome that. At Quins we want to play tough fixtures and we have to be at our best the whole time. Some weeks depending on who we’re playing, it feels almost harder than an international, so the fact that we now have a league that’s really competitive where we can play high level rugby week in week out, has helped me be a better player and probably helped England be successful too.”
However, it’s not just the standard of the domestic league that the RAF cadet believes accounts for England’s incredible 18-match unbeaten run.
“The biggest changes from an England point of view has been the inclusion of our Strength and Conditioning coach Alex Martin, he’s amazing! If you ask any of the girls, he’s the favourite person in camp and has come in and made some huge changes and is challenging us.
“He isn’t just a numbers guy, he’s canned all of our fitness testing which is very welcomed by the girls but he’s more about training for our actions on the pitch. It’s not how fast you can run in a bronco test because if you can’t translate that effort into physical rugby play then what’s the point in just being fit or just being strong? He’s come in and given us a good shakeup which has been really welcomed.”
With the Red Roses being full time professionals and receiving the best sport science, medical and strength and conditioning care, Cokayne explains she does see the point people make when they suggest having Premier 15s sides with multiple Red Roses means the league is less competitive.
“It’s a really difficult one because we’re in the weird area of some players being professional and some people not. I‘m professional and I play for England and Quins, but I also own a house down here and my life is here so if the RFU then said you need to go and play for Darlington Mowden Park Sharks, it’s difficult. If you spread out all the England players, and then a team like Exeter for example still has a whole host of overseas internationals, where’s the fairness in that, so then are you going to say that all internationals need to be spread out per team? It’s a really difficult one.
“I do feel for teams like DMP who are obviously struggling. I’m not really too sure on what the solution is. I think people think that players are driven by money and they think the London clubs pay the most but for players and especially England players it’s our full-time job so we want to be in an environment which is going to support us to be the best we can be.
“For most players, the draw isn’t how much you’re going to pay them it’s about access to physios and strength and conditioning. If the RFU can help clubs with those things, then we could see what happens.”
England’s TikTok Six Nations campaign begins away against Scotland on 26th March, and every nation will have their sights set on disrupting England’s success. But there are more domestic matters to be dealt with before then, with Cokayne admitting Harlequins need to address their inconsistencies on the pitch.
“We obviously haven’t performed well in every game this season. We haven’t been consistent; we can beat Saracens who are the most constant team in the league at the minute but following that we lose to Exeter or only beat Gloucester-Hartpury in the last minute. That’s on us as players, we’re the only people who can have an input on that. As a team we’re not happy with it, we know we have good moments and have a very talented side but it’s about doing it for larger parts of the game.”
However, despite results being important, Harlequins Women have a bigger goal.
“Recently, we’ve been working as a team on what our bigger purpose is, of course we want to win the title again but we’re looking bigger than that. We’ve come up with a strapline of what we want to do and how we’re going to achieve that and that won’t just be this season but in the seasons and years to come.
“Throughout the seasons we won’t just be judging ourselves on whether we’ve got the trophy it will be about whether we’ve inspired people to play the game.
“We have the TRUE Quin acronym, and each letter stands for something different and it’s about holding ourselves accountable to that. For example, the E stands for enjoyment and that’s an important part of rugby, it’s our full time job and you’ve got to turn up to work every day and enjoy it otherwise what’s the point? So it’s about going back to our core values and why we play the game.”
The team will be displaying those values as Quins’ Game Changer fixture returns this weekend. A record crowd of 4,837 visited The Stoop in April 2019 to watch Quins beat Gloucester-Hartpury and the fact that the opposition this rime round is 2020/2021 league runners up and current table toppers Saracens, makes the prospect of playing in front of a large home crowd even more thrilling for Cokayne and her Harlequins team mates.
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There's still time to secure your seat for the HUGE clash!
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— Harlequins Women ? (@HarlequinsWomen) February 3, 2022
“Quins are so good at putting on these massive events for us and something as players we’re pushing for and we want to be leading the way on. When we get spectators in we always hear them on the pitch and afterwards about how great an event it is. It can only be good for the game. It doesn’t get much bigger opposition than Saracens on your home patch!”
It’s obvious that if a club looks after their players by publicising the team and their fixtures, putting budget into marketing and creating brilliant spectacles filled with fans as Quins do, then the players will stand by their club through thick and thin. This is a quality Cokayne displays when asked about the wider media and social media’s reaction to the women’s team wearing men’s shirts for their recent Big Game 13 at Twickenham Stadium last December.
As Mondays go this wasn’t a bad one ? https://t.co/yAYCxQouq9
— Amycokayne (@amycokayne) December 30, 2021
“Obviously, when we put the shirts on for Big Game in the changing room they were a bit big, but we did feel a bit hurt that the only chat of the game seemed to be about the kit. As players we played in front of a huge crowd, we’re at Twickenham and we have some girls in the team who would never have the opportunity to play at a stadium like Twickenham ever.
“For us, we were like ‘it’s a bit big but it’s got a Quins logo on and we’re going to run out at Twickenham’ so we weren’t too fussed by it, and I think the positives of that day outweighed the fact that our shirts were a bit big.”
To purchase tickets for the Game Changer at the Twickenham Stoop this Saturday against Saracens, please click here.
Comments on RugbyPass
The current AB coaching team is basically the Crusaders so it smacks of wanting their familiar leaders around. This is not a good look for the future of the ABs or the younger players in Super working their way up the player ladder. Razor is touted as innovative, forward looking but his early moves look like insecurity and insular, provincial thinking. He is the AB's coach not the Golden Oldies.
10 Go to commentsSimple reason for wanting him back. Robertson wants him as captain. Otherwise he wouldn’t be bothering chasing him. Not enough reason to come back just to mentor.
10 Go to commentsI had not considered this topic like this at all, brilliant read. I had been looking at his record at the Waratahs and thought it odd the Crusaders appointed him, then couple that with all that experience and talent departing and boom. They’ve got some great talent developing though, and in all honesty I don’t think anyone would be over confident taking them on in a playoff match, no matter how poor the first half of their season was. I think they can pull a game out of their ass when it counts.
1 Go to commentsNot a bad list but not Porecki and not Donaldson. Not because they are Tahs, or Ex Tahs, they are just not good enough. Edmed should be ahead. Far more potential. Wilson should be 8 and Valentini 6. Wilson needs to be told by his father and his coach, stop bloody running in to brick wall defence. You’re not playing under the genius Thorn any more. He’s a fantastic angle runner. The young new 8 from the Brumbies looks really good too. The Lonegrans are just too small for international rugby as is Paisami, as is Hamish Stewart at 12. Both great at Super Rugby level. Stewart could have been a great 10 if not for Brad Thorn. Uru should be there and so should Tupou. Tupou just needs good Australian coaching which he hasn’t been getting. I don’t think Schmidt will excite him.
2 Go to commentsIf he wants to come back then he should. He will be a major asset to the younger locks and could easily be played as an impact player off the bench coming on in the last 30. He is fit, strong and capable and has all the experience to make up for any loss in physical prowess. He could also be brought back with a view to coaching within the structures one day. Duane Vermeulen played until he was 37 or 38. He is now a roaming coach within the South African coaching structures. He was valuable in the last world cup and has been a major influence on Jasper Wiese and other young players which has helped and accelerated their development and growth. Whitelock could do the exact same thing for NZ
10 Go to commentsBrett Excellent words… finally someone (other than DC) has noted that Hanigan is very hard and very good at doing what Backrow should do… his performance via the Drua sauna was quite daunting for those on the other side… very high tackle count… carries with good end result… constant threat to make a good 20-25 meters with those long legs… providing his mass effectively to crunching the Drua pack… Finally he is returning to quality form… way to much injury time over the last 2 years… smart-strong-competent in his skills… caught every lineout throw aimed at him and delivered clean pass to whoever was down below… and he worked hard for the whole 80 minutes… Ned has to be in the top 5 for backrow honors… He knows what is required as he has been there before…
20 Go to commentsI think Sam Whitelock should not touch a return with a bargepole. He went out on a high, playing in the RWC Final. He would be coming back into a team that will be weaker than last years, and might even be struggling to win games, especially against the Boks. Stay in France, enjoy another year with Pau, playing alongside his brother.
10 Go to commentsRyan Coxon has been very impressive considering he was signed by WF as injury cover whilst Uru has been a standout for QR, surprised neither of those mentioned
2 Go to commentsIt’s the massive value he brings with regard team culture/values, preparation, etc. Can’t buy that. I’m hoping to see the young locks get their chance in the big games though.
10 Go to commentsAll good, Gregor, except that you neglected to mention Sam Darry amongst that talented pool of locks. In fact, given Hannah’s inexperience and the fact that Holland won’t be eligible until next year, Lord and Darry might be the frontrunners this year, to join Barrett, Tuipoluto, Va’ii and possibly Whitelock. In fact there might be room for all of them if Barrett played 6 (like Ollie Chessum).
10 Go to commentsHis value is stabilizing the ship 20 - 40 minutes out from the final whistle plus his valuable experience to the underlings coming through.
10 Go to commentsWhat is criminal is she acts like it's no problem her actions have have cause the Italian player to lose her playing career, lose salary, if she did this in day to day life she would be in jail, she is a complete thug!!!
3 Go to commentsCorrect me if i’m wrong but the sadas have to win all games running into the finals yeh nah?
1 Go to commentsDon’t like Diamond but the maul is a joke, the sight of a choke tackle creating a maul then players in offside positions flopping on it killing the ball but then getting the put in? Banal.
3 Go to commentsHopefully Tabai Matson returns to Crusaders as head coach next season.
1 Go to commentsstorm in a teacup really. Penalty only so play on as the try was scored. Now the real question is: why was Maitland allowed to pass the ball off the floor? That is illegal but refs never pick it up.
1 Go to commentsWhen Beauden Barrett signed his contract before the 2023 RWC to play in Japan in 2024, it was NOT part of a sabbatical agreed to with NZRU prior to his signing, as was Ardie Savea and Sam Cane. Barrett changed his mind after the fact and negotiated his return to NZ Rugby and he was given permission to be eligible for All Black selection straight away once he signed a new contract to return to the Blues in 2025. Therefore, why would anyone argue against Whitelock returning to the All Blacks straight away after his season is France is finished if he signs a new contract with NZRU which includes a Super Rugby contract in 2025? If Barrett can, Whitelock should be allowed too.
10 Go to commentsThe All Blacks will select 5 locks this season. Scott Robertson will most likely want to select 2 veteran locks who can start right away in 2024 and 3 young promising locks who he would like to be pushing hard for selection in the starting XV in two years time- 2026. Scott Barrett is a world class lock. Who would you rather start beside him this season against England, South Africa, Ireland, and France- Sam Whitelock or Patrick Tuipulotu? I would choose Whitelock over Tuipulotu all day, every day.
10 Go to commentsThose ears must give him great field awareness
1 Go to commentsFrench international centre Maelle Fillopon is death, too.
1 Go to comments