Rugby Park has been renamed Te Ohaere-Fox Cocksedge Park, in recognition of Cocksedge and Steph Te Ohaere-Fox who will also be hanging up the boots after this weekend's final.
The 34 year-old halfback, who is the most capped Black Fern of all time, has announced that she will retire at the end of the World Cup in November.
Cocksedge is only the second woman after Te Ohaere-Fox (112) to make a century of appearances for Canterbury.
In fact, Fiao'o Faamausili with 106 games for Auckland between 1999 and 2018 is the only other woman to have played a century of games for one province.
Cocksedge made her debut for Canterbury in a 19-0 whitewash of Otago in 2007. She kicked two conversions. In the semifinal that year, also against Otago, she scored her first two tries for the province. Unfortunately, Canterbury was beaten 22-21.
Cocksedge has been a part of four Premiership winning teams from 2017 to 2020. Her profound influence is best illustrated by the fact she owns every single Canterbury points scoring record.
In 2015 and 2018 she was named New Zealand Women’s Player of the Year and in 2020 won the Fiao'o Faamausili as the best player in the FPC.
Canterbury won 27 games in a row between 2018 and 2021. From 2017 to 2022 they have won 42 out of 45 games.
Additionally, Cocksedge has played 114 games for the University of Canterbury club where she has won five senior championships.
Kendra’s Canterbury Scoring Records
Most points overall: 1066
Most tries overall: 67
Most points in a season: 116, 2018
Most tries in a season: 10, 2018
Most conversions in a season: 27, 2018, 2019
Most dropped goals in a season: 1 (Tied with Charntay Poko, 2017)
Most points in a match: 30 (v Taranaki, 2013 & North Harbour, 2016)
Most tries in a match: 4 (Taranaki, 2013 & Auckland, 2018)
Most conversions in a match: 8, Hawke’s Bay, 2012
Most penalties in a match: 5, Auckland, 2009 & Waikato, 2016
Best of Kendra
2009 v Auckland, Won: 20-15
In the 2008 National final at Eden Park, Canterbury lost 12-13 to Auckland with Cocksedge missing a conversion attempt from out in front of the posts to win the game. Had Cocksedge been successful Canterbury would have won their first championship.
In the first game between the two sides’ the following year, Cocksegde produced a kicking masterclass slotting five penalties as Canterbury stunned the reigning champions 20-15 to achieve their first win against Auckland since 1993.
The only try of the match was scored by Jessica Hornsell who crossed 28 times in 54 matches for Canterbury.
Cocksedge again kicked five penalties in a game when Canterbury beat Waikato 27-26 in 2016. She also scored a try and a conversion for a personal haul of 22 points.
The record for most penalties in a women’s first class match is six by Annaleah Rush for Auckland against Wellington in 2001.
2017 v Counties Manukau, Won 13-7
Cocksedge was a part of four losing finals before Canterbury finally broke through for their maiden national championship against the reigning premiers in Pukekohe.
Canterbury managed to subdue the larger, Black Ferns laced, Counties front row in a tight tussle that was decided by a Charntay Poko drop goal, an event Cocksedge remembers “like yesterday.”
“We had a couple of phases near their 22 where our forwards kept it tight and worked towards centre field. It’s unusual for us to have a drop goal, but Charntay had kicked a couple before and she was back in the pocket. When she hit it, we knew it was over.
“I never thought I’d win an FPC title. I’d been to the final so many times. It’s probably my greatest highlight for Canterbury.
In the 2020 final, a 30-20 win against Auckland, Cocksedge would kick an angled drop-goal from 25-meters out which clinched the game for Canterbury.
2018 v Auckland, Won: 37-12
Auckland won the FPC Premiership 14 times in 15 years between 1999 and 2015. Though the 2018 class wasn’t vintage, the likelihood of anyone scoring four tries against the Storm was unthinkable.
Cocksedge did it on October 6 at Rugby Park, Christchurch as Canterbury defended the JJ Stewart Memorial Trophy.
Behind a rampant pack, Cocksegde terrorised Auckland with her pace and opportunism.
She also scored four tries in a 92-12 win against Taranaki in 2013.
2018 v Counties Manukau, Won: 52-29
The most dominant individual display by any player in an FPC final was by Cocksedge in 2018. She racked up 27 points, scoring two tries and nailing all eight attempts off the tee, as Canterbury trounced Counties 52-29. Canterbury is the only team to have scored a half-century in an FPC final and Cocksegde’s haul is a record.
In 2018 she scored a first-class record 173 points in 13 games and was the first woman to win the Kel Tremain Memorial award as New Zealand Rugby player of the year.
2022 v Waikato, Won 29-27
Canterbury was ahead 19-6 just before halftime scoring three outstanding tries through the backs. Fullback Rosie Kelly played a blinder and wing Martha Mataele continued her brillant season with two tries.
However, the defending Premiership champions started winning the collisions in the second-half and took a 27-24 lead with only a matter of minutes left.
Cocksedge marshalled her forwards into a maul and with a sharp dummy hit a hole to score her second try and win the game.
In 2021 she scored two tries in a 24-17 win against Waikato, a game in which she became the first woman to pass the 1000-point barrier in New Zealand.
Canterbury take on old foes Auckland in the Farah Palmer Cup Premiership final on Saturday at 3.05pm from Christchurch's Rugby Park. Catch all the action live on Sky Sport or get your tickets for just $5 for adults and kids free.