Paving the way
Kendra Cocksedge, a true rugby icon who has committed her life to the sport, talks with Metropol writer Nina Tucker.
Not only New Zealand’s most capped Black Fern, Kendra also stands out for her passion to get more women onto the field.
She grew up playing rugby with the boys as the numbers of girl teammates dwindled as the play got rougher. Kendra is now determined to change the landscape of women’s rugby, and make it something she wished she had growing up. “A four-year-old ‘Kendra’ can play rugby with her friends, and it can all be girls. It’s a gift given to me.” Following the history-making World Cup victory, Kendra and her teammates have created a legacy that inspires girls and women to tackle male dominated sports. “There were a lot of arguments that we can’t fill a stand. We’ve proven that wrong,” she confirms.
Kendra may have retired from the Black Ferns, but her devotion to the game is only getting stronger. With a goal to make women’s rugby more accessible, her role as the South Island Women’s Rugby Development Manager gives her the power to put her plans into action. Kendra’s most excited about seeing more girls get involved following the momentum of the World Cup, as new clubs and teams emerge.
Despite her impressive achievements, three-time Rugby World Cup champion, Kendra remains humble, noting that the relationships she made along the way were life changing. “The people you meet, the places you go, it’s incredible,” she says.
“It’s a team sport, for us as Black Ferns, we’ve all gone through the same struggles, and it just connects you.” It didn’t come without sacrifice, Kendra says that the demands of her training schedule diminished her social life, but she gained “lifelong friendships through the game.”
Retirement was the right decision, she says, and she’s “not missing the game.” While playing on the world stage was incredible, there were challenges that came with it. Amongst the need to train well, eat well and recover well, all while maintaining her full-time job with New Zealand Rugby, Kendra admitted she faced mental pressures. “I always wanted to be the greatest, be the best.” Looking back, Kendra said she would encourage her 19-year-old self to have more fun. “I just flipped into a real serious high-performance mindset, but throughout I lost a few years of enjoyment and fun.”
Kendra is finally relaxing after years of a strict lifestyle. She says she’s “still adjusting” to post-professional life, but loves finishing her day with a glass of wine, guilt-free. She’s now prioritising herself, spending time with friends and family, watching school-girl rugby, and loving every second of it. What’s next for Kendra? As the kind of person who wants to “do everything” she’s one to watch.
Our fingers are crossed that we’ll see her on the screens again as she’s exploring opportunities for coaching, “I’ve got a lot of knowledge and skill to give back. Maybe next year.”
With an autobiography on the horizon, and so many goals in the women’s rugby space, Kendra shows no signs of stopping the push for women’s rugby awareness, involvement, and equality. She has even given Metropol her number for anyone who needs persuasion to pick up a rugby ball. 
