Pacific Four Series: Black Ferns vs Australia. Where: Tauranga Domain, Tauranga. When: Monday, June 6, 2:45pm. Live coverage: Spark Sport, live updates on Stuff. Referee: Sara Cox (England).
Kendra Cocksedge will become the most-capped Black Fern in history when she starts at halfback against Australia in Tauranga on Monday.
Cocksedge will play her 58th test, passing legendary hooker Fiao’o Faamausili’s tally of 57, at the Tauranga Domain in the Pacific Four Series opener, 15 years after her debut for the Black Ferns.
David Rogers/Getty Images
Kendra Cocksedge will make history for the Black Ferns (FILE PHOTO).
The Tauranga test will also be the first the Black Ferns have played at home in nearly three years and will be Cocksedge’s 50th in a row.
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“It’s going to a very exciting day for me and my family especially bringing up this milestone on home turf. We’ve had an awesome week building up to the test and can’t wait to get out there on Monday,” Cocksedge said in a statement.
The 33-year-old won World Cups with the Black Ferns in 2010 and 2017 and her experience will be invaluable in a young side that includes seven debutants in Wayne Smith’s first test as coaching boss.
“Kendra is a great role model. She played her part behind Emma Jensen for a long time, which shows how much perseverance she has and how much she loves this jersey,” Smith said in a statement.
Sevens star Ruby Tui starts on the right wing against the Wallaroos and Kelsey Teneti is at centre after only being called into the squad as injury cover in May.
LAWRENCE SMITH/Stuff
Ruby Tui, centre, will make her test debut against Australia.
Kaipo Olsen-Baker and Chelsea Bremner will make their test debuts at No 8 and lock respectively.
Bremner starts alongside her sister, Alana, who will play her fourth test at blindside flanker.
The other three uncapped players on the bench are props Angel Mulu and Tanya Kalounivale and loose forward Tafito Lafaele.
Ruahei Demant captains the side for the first time at first five-eighth.
“We are looking at these series before the World Cup as an opportunity for players to put their best foot forward. We’re really impressed with some of our younger players, they’re in good condition and deserve a crack,” Smith said.
“I’ve always seen selection as an easy process, the players select themselves – we just have to write the names down.
“Its exciting having these tests in our own country and that brings with it some pressure. I want this series to be exhilarating for the country and the players, we’ve got a game that can do that – we just have to put it out on the field.”
The Black Ferns also play Canada and the United States in this month’s Pacific Four Series.
They host Canada in Auckland next Sunday and face the United States in Whangārei the following Sunday.
Black Ferns: Renee Holmes, Ruby Tui, Kelsey Teneti, Chelsea Semple, Ayesha Leti-I’iga, Ruahei Demant (c), Kendra Cocksedge; Kaipo Olsen-Baker, Kendra Reynolds, Alana Bremner, Chelsea Bremner, Maiakawanakaulani Roos, Amy Rule, Georgia Ponsonby, Krystal Murray. Reserves: Luka Connor, Angel Mulu, Tanya Kalounivale, Joanah Ngan-Woo, Tafito Lafaele, Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu, Hazel Tubic, Cheyelle Robins-Reti.
