August 23, 2025 • 8 mins
The Black Ferns are set to begin their Rugby World Cup campaign tomorrow afternoon, and there's excitement brewing.
There's hope the Black Ferns could win their third straight World Cup in a row.
Former Black Fern Kendra Cocksedge joined Piney to discuss.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalk zedb.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
BE World Cup title defense tomorrow morning, four thirty our
time against Spain. Let's bring in sixty eight test former
Black Ferns halfback twenty eighteen Kel Tremaine Memorial Trophy winner
and Rugby World Cup winner in twenty ten, twenty seventeen
and twenty twenty two, Kendra Cox Edge of course, Kendra,
how optimistic should we feel about the Black Ferns chances
(00:35):
of winning what would be a third straight World Cup?
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Well, I think we should be heavily optimistic obviously, you know.
I guess there's a lot a lot of pressure in
terms of obviously winning the last one and then obviously
England been in England and in England obviously performing pretty
well and potentially going up against them that. Yeah, I think, yeah,
I think we've got to be optimistic about it and
we did it last time.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
So yeah. So just the four official tests for the
Black Ferns in twenty twenty five, in that game against
the New Zealand fifteen, is that sufficient build up? They
have liked a bit more?
Speaker 3 (01:08):
No, I think the build up's been you know, being fine,
and I've obviously done stuff with their camps and whatnot,
and they've worked towards what they need and need to do.
I mean, it's always good if you can get as
many games as you can, but just just been able
to play, you know, I'll back that they've done enough
and it's probably no different to any other World Cup
prip that we've had.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Let's have a look at the New Zealand squad. The
outside backs on this team are so exciting. Renee Holmes,
Asha Littieinger Braxton Sorenson McGee, Caitlin Carlo and of course
Porscha Woodman Woodcliffe. How much of New Zealand's strategy will
be about getting the ball wide to such dangerous players like.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
That, Well, I think that's probably how a New Zealand
play right. We've paid a lot of expensive footy and
I know that we wouldn't have exposed a lot of
our game plans throughout the game's previous to World Cup,
and there will be a few kind of tricks up
the sleeve. But I think you know, when you've got
a players on the out side like that that can
light it up. And at the same time, people are
going to think that we're probably going to do that,
(02:02):
so it might be an opportunity to use our quality midfielders,
you know, Sylvia, Stacey and Theresa set to find it
Amy do for Sue. We've got some quality midfielders as well.
That would be obviously to you know, take up in
the middle if we need to, and then we've got
a great board pack to do the same thing to.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Your old position. Kendra halfback. All three half backs off
to their first Rugby World Cup at Attanajhire, Maya, Joseph
Rassiliana Poli Lane. How do you evaluate the half back
strength in the squad?
Speaker 3 (02:29):
Oh, we go back the girls there. You know they're talent,
the town to athlete. You got someone like Resi who's
you know, done Pina cool events before the World Cup,
but been to Commonwealth and Olympics and you know that
kind of experience is great. The other two, you know,
they don't think it will face them the quality of players.
And the cool thing about these three half packs is
they all offer something slightly different with the whether the
way they want to play. I don't think anyone's necessarily
(02:50):
They haven't cemented the number nine jersey yet. I think
it will come down to how the team probably wants
to wants to play and what the game plan is
for each game.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
And with the first fives only two named in the
squad or do I hate demand? Of course in Kellie Brazier,
who we know is hugely experienced, but before playing against
Australia this year, she hadn't played a test since November
twenty twenty one. Are we a little bit light? If
something were to happen to Je DeMont.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
I think would be I think would be able to
be Okay, We've probably got Renee Holmes, I think should
be someone that could probably cover ten as well, So
you've got that cover there, and we know that she's
a talented, talented player too, so I think you know,
you know, you never want to be in cony of
the injuries if someone gets into someone potentially get called
up to. But we obviously got Kelly who's got the
hell of a lot of experience and can distribute and
kick well, which the team you may need as well.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
At the other end of the experience scale, the hugely
exciting Georgia Miller, who of course has come across from
the Seven's program, but that trice, he's scored against Australia
and Wellington just a glimpse of what she is capable of.
What do you predict for Georgia Miller at this World Cup?
Speaker 3 (03:57):
I predict that she's probably potentially could be the end
up being that player of the tournament, you know, you
call that nice and early. She's a freak. She makes
regular look easy. I think she'll know, she'll embrace it,
and I think she'll have a great World Cup and
she'll have another breakout season in their first fifteen's World Cup.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
So to the schedule, Paul play New Zealand plays Spain first,
then Japan then Ireland, which will be their toughest Paul match.
Do you think Alan Bunting and his selectors will use
the first two games to come up with their strongest
side for the third game and then Ireland to the
knockout face.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
I think what they'll do is that that first game,
I believe that they'll still give people an opportunity to
get some good game time under their bout and then
probably leading into Japan and in Ireland obviously by Ireland.
You probably want to have your top teams, so you
probably want them to be playing some good game time
together in that Japan game as well. I don't think
they've done that already this year. They've kind of, you know,
(04:51):
they've moved around the squad a lot, so they probably
do need to start cementing a top fifteen as early
as possible within the World Cup.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
Apart from England obviously the hosts and world number one,
who are the other big threats to New Zealand at
this World Cup?
Speaker 3 (05:05):
I think our biggest three for thinking about New Zealand's
I think currently as Canada, I feel like they're a
bit of a bogie team for us, and you know,
the last couple of years I drawing and a loss,
So I think, you know, we're going to potentially come
up against them in the semi final, and you know,
if all goes well and Anythingland, you know goes well
for England France, they'll be in the other one. So
I think that's probably going to be the biggest, biggest one.
And then if you know, Ireland's another one that's been
(05:27):
you know, they're coming up silently you know as well,
and you know we've got to play them in pool play,
and you know, you kind of want to top your
top your pool to make you make sure you get
that better semi final.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
And you yourself. Kendra. Three Rugby World Cup wins, but
that last one, man, what a night it was. How
often do you think back to that last Rugby World
Cup final, the win over England eed in part November
twenty twenty two turned out to be your last test
for New Zealand and one of the most memorable nights
in our sporting history.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
Yeah, it definitely does that. Obviously, we've been World Cup. Yeah,
I mean I've been doing a lot of speaking, you know,
speaking things and stuff, and everyone kind of talks about
it and I just love I love talking about it,
love throwing myself back into that World Cup and you know,
going through that experience all again and it was something
pretty incredible. And I think we've got an opportunity again,
you know, to make something for this one and do
(06:17):
it again.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
Absolutely all right, So to circle back to finish, as
we stick up on the coffee and get ready to
chair the Black Ferns on from twelve thousand miles away,
you feel like we should do so with a sense
of confidence.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
Yeah. I think the team's got what it takes. I
think we've got the players to be able to do it.
I think we should definitely be optimistic. You never know
that you've got a bit of an uphold about playing
a quality team like England highly and you know we're
saying that, we're already talking about the final, but there's
a lot of games that's could have gone before that,
you know. But playing a team at home, you know,
we had that and we had that crowd and what
that gives you and their boost that gives you. So
(06:48):
if it is in England and New Zealand final, you know,
I still I still want to be optimistic. You know,
we did it last time and I believe that they
can do it again.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
All Right, an exciting few weeks ahead, Kendra, thanks so
much for joining us on Weekend Sport. Can't wait to
see how it all plays out at the Rugby World Cup.
Thanks for your time, all right, Thank you, See Ladder
see a lot of Kendrack Kendrick cox Edge there a
a member of the broadcast team. So you'll hear a voice,
no doubt, coming back from the other side of the
world when the Black Ferns get under way. So tomorrow
morning is when they have their first game. They take
(07:16):
on Spain in York the line of Community Stadium in York,
four pot thirty tomorrow morning. Look, this should be the
easiest of the three Paul games. And I think the
team that Alan Bunting has named for this one has
certainly got the look about it of giving a few
players a game, certainly nowhere near their top side. You
(07:37):
look at the players who are on the bench and
you find Hee Dumont there on the bench, the co captain,
Porscha Woodman Whickliffe, and the reserves as well, Georgia Ponsonby.
You know, those are three players who probably are in
the strongest fifteen but won't play against Spain. So that's
tomorrow morning. Then next Monday it's Japan. It's a one
o'clock in the morning game, and then Ireland on the
(07:59):
morning of Monday, September the eighth, that one forty five.
So New Zealand should really, in theory get through those
games okay, and then they're into quarters semis in final.
That's the business end of this Rugby World Cup already.
As I mentioned before, some big score lines in this
Rugby World Cup, as the as the haves and have
nots of women's rugby sort of sort themselves out, England
(08:19):
already looking ominous and look, I know you can't predict
anything when it comes to World Cups, but it feels
as though if New Zealand are to retain that title,
then they've got to get past the very, very big
obstacle that is England. The final at Twickenham already sold out.
Eighty two thousand tickets already sold for the final could
(08:40):
well be England against New Zealand and a rematch of
the last one.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk sed B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalk zedb.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
BE World Cup title defense tomorrow morning, four thirty our
time against Spain. Let's bring in sixty eight test former
Black Ferns halfback twenty eighteen Kel Tremaine Memorial Trophy winner
and Rugby World Cup winner in twenty ten, twenty seventeen
and twenty twenty two, Kendra Cox Edge of course, Kendra,
how optimistic should we feel about the Black Ferns chances
(00:35):
of winning what would be a third straight World Cup?
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Well, I think we should be heavily optimistic obviously, you know.
I guess there's a lot a lot of pressure in
terms of obviously winning the last one and then obviously
England been in England and in England obviously performing pretty
well and potentially going up against them that. Yeah, I think, yeah,
I think we've got to be optimistic about it and
we did it last time.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
So yeah. So just the four official tests for the
Black Ferns in twenty twenty five, in that game against
the New Zealand fifteen, is that sufficient build up? They
have liked a bit more?
Speaker 3 (01:08):
No, I think the build up's been you know, being fine,
and I've obviously done stuff with their camps and whatnot,
and they've worked towards what they need and need to do.
I mean, it's always good if you can get as
many games as you can, but just just been able
to play, you know, I'll back that they've done enough
and it's probably no different to any other World Cup
prip that we've had.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Let's have a look at the New Zealand squad. The
outside backs on this team are so exciting. Renee Holmes,
Asha Littieinger Braxton Sorenson McGee, Caitlin Carlo and of course
Porscha Woodman Woodcliffe. How much of New Zealand's strategy will
be about getting the ball wide to such dangerous players like.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
That, Well, I think that's probably how a New Zealand
play right. We've paid a lot of expensive footy and
I know that we wouldn't have exposed a lot of
our game plans throughout the game's previous to World Cup,
and there will be a few kind of tricks up
the sleeve. But I think you know, when you've got
a players on the out side like that that can
light it up. And at the same time, people are
going to think that we're probably going to do that,
(02:02):
so it might be an opportunity to use our quality midfielders,
you know, Sylvia, Stacey and Theresa set to find it
Amy do for Sue. We've got some quality midfielders as well.
That would be obviously to you know, take up in
the middle if we need to, and then we've got
a great board pack to do the same thing to.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Your old position. Kendra halfback. All three half backs off
to their first Rugby World Cup at Attanajhire, Maya, Joseph
Rassiliana Poli Lane. How do you evaluate the half back
strength in the squad?
Speaker 3 (02:29):
Oh, we go back the girls there. You know they're talent,
the town to athlete. You got someone like Resi who's
you know, done Pina cool events before the World Cup,
but been to Commonwealth and Olympics and you know that
kind of experience is great. The other two, you know,
they don't think it will face them the quality of players.
And the cool thing about these three half packs is
they all offer something slightly different with the whether the
way they want to play. I don't think anyone's necessarily
(02:50):
They haven't cemented the number nine jersey yet. I think
it will come down to how the team probably wants
to wants to play and what the game plan is
for each game.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
And with the first fives only two named in the
squad or do I hate demand? Of course in Kellie Brazier,
who we know is hugely experienced, but before playing against
Australia this year, she hadn't played a test since November
twenty twenty one. Are we a little bit light? If
something were to happen to Je DeMont.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
I think would be I think would be able to
be Okay, We've probably got Renee Holmes, I think should
be someone that could probably cover ten as well, So
you've got that cover there, and we know that she's
a talented, talented player too, so I think you know,
you know, you never want to be in cony of
the injuries if someone gets into someone potentially get called
up to. But we obviously got Kelly who's got the
hell of a lot of experience and can distribute and
kick well, which the team you may need as well.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
At the other end of the experience scale, the hugely
exciting Georgia Miller, who of course has come across from
the Seven's program, but that trice, he's scored against Australia
and Wellington just a glimpse of what she is capable of.
What do you predict for Georgia Miller at this World Cup?
Speaker 3 (03:57):
I predict that she's probably potentially could be the end
up being that player of the tournament, you know, you
call that nice and early. She's a freak. She makes
regular look easy. I think she'll know, she'll embrace it,
and I think she'll have a great World Cup and
she'll have another breakout season in their first fifteen's World Cup.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
So to the schedule, Paul play New Zealand plays Spain first,
then Japan then Ireland, which will be their toughest Paul match.
Do you think Alan Bunting and his selectors will use
the first two games to come up with their strongest
side for the third game and then Ireland to the
knockout face.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
I think what they'll do is that that first game,
I believe that they'll still give people an opportunity to
get some good game time under their bout and then
probably leading into Japan and in Ireland obviously by Ireland.
You probably want to have your top teams, so you
probably want them to be playing some good game time
together in that Japan game as well. I don't think
they've done that already this year. They've kind of, you know,
(04:51):
they've moved around the squad a lot, so they probably
do need to start cementing a top fifteen as early
as possible within the World Cup.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
Apart from England obviously the hosts and world number one,
who are the other big threats to New Zealand at
this World Cup?
Speaker 3 (05:05):
I think our biggest three for thinking about New Zealand's
I think currently as Canada, I feel like they're a
bit of a bogie team for us, and you know,
the last couple of years I drawing and a loss,
So I think, you know, we're going to potentially come
up against them in the semi final, and you know,
if all goes well and Anythingland, you know goes well
for England France, they'll be in the other one. So
I think that's probably going to be the biggest, biggest one.
And then if you know, Ireland's another one that's been
(05:27):
you know, they're coming up silently you know as well,
and you know we've got to play them in pool play,
and you know, you kind of want to top your
top your pool to make you make sure you get
that better semi final.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
And you yourself. Kendra. Three Rugby World Cup wins, but
that last one, man, what a night it was. How
often do you think back to that last Rugby World
Cup final, the win over England eed in part November
twenty twenty two turned out to be your last test
for New Zealand and one of the most memorable nights
in our sporting history.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
Yeah, it definitely does that. Obviously, we've been World Cup. Yeah,
I mean I've been doing a lot of speaking, you know,
speaking things and stuff, and everyone kind of talks about
it and I just love I love talking about it,
love throwing myself back into that World Cup and you know,
going through that experience all again and it was something
pretty incredible. And I think we've got an opportunity again,
you know, to make something for this one and do
(06:17):
it again.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
Absolutely all right, So to circle back to finish, as
we stick up on the coffee and get ready to
chair the Black Ferns on from twelve thousand miles away,
you feel like we should do so with a sense
of confidence.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
Yeah. I think the team's got what it takes. I
think we've got the players to be able to do it.
I think we should definitely be optimistic. You never know
that you've got a bit of an uphold about playing
a quality team like England highly and you know we're
saying that, we're already talking about the final, but there's
a lot of games that's could have gone before that,
you know. But playing a team at home, you know,
we had that and we had that crowd and what
that gives you and their boost that gives you. So
(06:48):
if it is in England and New Zealand final, you know,
I still I still want to be optimistic. You know,
we did it last time and I believe that they
can do it again.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
All Right, an exciting few weeks ahead, Kendra, thanks so
much for joining us on Weekend Sport. Can't wait to
see how it all plays out at the Rugby World Cup.
Thanks for your time, all right, Thank you, See Ladder
see a lot of Kendrack Kendrick cox Edge there a
a member of the broadcast team. So you'll hear a voice,
no doubt, coming back from the other side of the
world when the Black Ferns get under way. So tomorrow
morning is when they have their first game. They take
(07:16):
on Spain in York the line of Community Stadium in York,
four pot thirty tomorrow morning. Look, this should be the
easiest of the three Paul games. And I think the
team that Alan Bunting has named for this one has
certainly got the look about it of giving a few
players a game, certainly nowhere near their top side. You
(07:37):
look at the players who are on the bench and
you find Hee Dumont there on the bench, the co captain,
Porscha Woodman Whickliffe, and the reserves as well, Georgia Ponsonby.
You know, those are three players who probably are in
the strongest fifteen but won't play against Spain. So that's
tomorrow morning. Then next Monday it's Japan. It's a one
o'clock in the morning game, and then Ireland on the
(07:59):
morning of Monday, September the eighth, that one forty five.
So New Zealand should really, in theory get through those
games okay, and then they're into quarters semis in final.
That's the business end of this Rugby World Cup already.
As I mentioned before, some big score lines in this
Rugby World Cup, as the as the haves and have
nots of women's rugby sort of sort themselves out, England
(08:19):
already looking ominous and look, I know you can't predict
anything when it comes to World Cups, but it feels
as though if New Zealand are to retain that title,
then they've got to get past the very, very big
obstacle that is England. The final at Twickenham already sold out.
Eighty two thousand tickets already sold for the final could
(08:40):
well be England against New Zealand and a rematch of
the last one.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk sed B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.