Kendra Cocksedge crowned New Zealand’s best
Black Ferns scrum-half Kendra Cocksedge made history on Thursday when she became the first woman to be named the Kelvin R Tremain Memorial Player of the Year.
Cocksedge, a 47-Test cap Black Fern and playmaker for the successful back-to-back Farah Palmer Cup champions Canterbury was in sublime form in 2018.
She emerged the winner of the prestigious award from a strong field of nominees featuring All Blacks Brodie Retallick, Richie Mo’unga, and Codie Taylor.
She was also named the New Zealand Rugby Women’s Player of the Year – her second time (last in 2015) winning that award – and won the Fiao’o Faamausili Medal for player of the Farah Palmer Cup. The awards cement her status as the most outstanding player in fifteens rugby in New Zealand – male or female – in 2018. She joins an impressive alumnus of previous winners including Sam Whitelock, Beauden Barrett, Ma’a Nonu, Retallick, Kieran Read and Richie McCaw.
The Black Ferns Sevens were crowned the New Zealand Team of Year – their first time winning the honour after a remarkable year with double-gold at the Commonwealth Games and at the Rugby World Cup 7s.
This year’s expanded awards celebrated the best of Provincial and Super Rugby teams with back-to-back Super Rugby champions, the Crusaders, winning the inaugural National Team of the Year and Auckland head coach Alama Ieremia named the National Coach of the Year.
It was a huge night for the Crusaders whose classy fly-half Mo’unga saw off his team-mate Matt Todd and the Chiefs‘ Solomon Alaimalo to win Super Rugby Player of the Year; Crusaders and All Blacks hooker Taylor was named the Tom French Memorial Maori Player of the Year, and Crusaders and Canterbury lock Luke Romano was awarded the Duane Monkley Medal for player of the Mitre 10 Cup.
Commonwealth gold medal and Rugby World Cup 7s winning All Blacks Sevens Coach Clark Laidlaw was named New Zealand Coach of the Year, rounding out an impressive haul for the Sevens teams with Scott Curry named the Richard Crawshaw Memorial All Blacks Sevens Player of the Year, and Michaela Blyde – who last month was named World Rugby’s top women’s sevens player – taking out the Black Ferns Sevens Player of the Year.
New Zealand Rugby’s highest recognition of an outstanding contribution to rugby, the Steinlager Salver, was awarded to All Blacks legend Waka Nathan, who was chosen especially by the New Zealand Rugby Board. The New Zealand Rugby Players’ Association (NZRPA) David Kirk Award was presented to All Blacks centurion Keven Mealamu and Black Ferns skipper Fiao’o Faamausili for their contributions to the game off the field.
Canterbury’s Tom Christie, who also starred in this year’s New Zealand U20 team was New Zealand Age Grade Player, and Brett Ranga from the Meads Cup champions side, Thames Valley, was named the Mitre 10 Heartland Championship Player of the Year.
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Former acclaimed professional rugby player turned international referee Glen Jackson won Referee of the Year for a remarkable fifth time in seven years. He is just shy of the record still held by former New Zealand referee Paddy O’Brien’s who won the award six times.
The accolade that pays tribute to rugby’s tireless volunteers, the Charles Monro Rugby Volunteer of the Year, was this year presented to Horowhenua-Kapiti’s Irene Eruera-Taiapa. A long-serving volunteer with the local rugby union, she is the union’s Respect and Responsibility and Child Protection Advisor and has been a driver of discussion about these topics in the rugby environment.
A try by Chris Hala’ufia from the national First XV champions side, St Peter’s College, was voted by the public, as the SKY Fan’s Try of the Year, edging out a star-studded list of tries from All Blacks to Black Ferns, Super Rugby and national provincial competitions.
New Zealand Rugby chairperson Brent Impey congratulated all award winners.
“It has been a wonderful and successful year right across rugby,” he said.
“It has been another positive year for women’s rugby particularly for the Black Ferns Sevens and their continued dominance on the world stage. Kendra’s award tonight is another remarkable achievement, and her utterly sublime performances in both the Black Ferns and Canterbury jersey have clearly made her a standout individual, and she thoroughly deserves the many accolades she has received.
“Congratulations also to the Crusaders for retaining the Super Rugby title this year. Their dominance in the competition was incredible. It is no small coincidence that Crusaders players also took home the Super Rugby and Tom French Memorial Maori Player of the year awards and their consistent excellence is a credit to their club.”
2018 New Zealand Rugby Awards winners:
Kelvin R Tremain Memorial Player of the Year: Kendra Cocksedge (Canterbury)
National Team of the Year: Crusaders
New Zealand Team of the Year: Black Ferns Sevens
New Zealand Coach of the Year: Clark Laidlaw (All Blacks Sevens)
Super Rugby Player of the Year: Richie Mo’unga (Crusaders)
Tom French Memorial Maori Player of the Year: Codie Taylor (Ngati Raukawa/Muaupoko)
Richard Crawshaw Memorial All Blacks Sevens Player of the Year: Scott Curry (Bay of Plenty)
Black Ferns Sevens Player of the Year: Michaela Blyde (Bay of Plenty)
New Zealand Rugby Women’s Player of the Year: Kendra Cocksedge (Canterbury)
Fans Try of the Year: Chris Hala’ufia (St Peter’s College)
New Zealand Rugby Referee of the Year: Glen Jackson (Bay of Plenty)
Charles Monro Rugby Volunteer of the Year: Irene Eruera-Taiapa (Horowhenua Kapiti)
New Zealand Rugby Age Grade Player of the Year: Tom Christie (Canterbury)
Mitre 10 Heartland Championship Player of the Year: Brett Ranga (Thames Valley)
Duane Monkley Medal: Luke Romano (Canterbury)
Fiao’o Faamausili Medal: Kendra Cocksedge (Canterbury)
National Coach of the Year: Alama Ieremia (Auckland)
Previous Kelvin R Tremain award winners (last 10 years):
2017: Samuel Whitelock
2016: Beauden Barrett
2015: Ma’a Nonu
2014: Brodie Retallick
2013: Kieran Read
2012: Richie McCaw
2011: Jerome Kaino
2010: Kieran Read
2009: Richie McCaw
2008: Andrew Hore