Old foes clash for Farah Palmer Cup title

The two most successful teams in the history of the women’s provincial rugby competition will meet in the final of the Farah Palmer Cup tomorrow.

Kendra Cocksedge and Steph Te Ohaere Fox
Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Canterbury are hosting the final for the fifth straight time having won from 2017 to 2020 and they’ll take on Auckland, who have won the national title 15 times.

There was a new name engraved on the Farah Palmer Cup last year with Waikato’s victory over Canterbury.

Canterbury are favourites having gone through the season unbeaten while Auckland, who last won the competition in 2015, have had a bit of a mixed season.

Auckland loose forward Charmaine McMenamin was a part of the side that had their golden run up until 2015 and would like the trophy back.

She says their semi-final win over Waikato last weekend has given the team plenty of belief.

“It gave the players confidence that they can grind through hard periods of play, said McMenamin.

“We’ve probably been one of the worst defensive teams in the competition, but we spent the first 20 minutes of the Waikato game on defence.

“So I think it just gave them the belief that what we’ve been working on actually does work and we can take that into this weekend.”

It’s going to be a big day for Canterbury rugby as they farewell two of their stalwarts, Kendra Cocksedge and Steph Te Ohaere-Fox, both having played a hundred games for the province, will hang up their boots.

Prop Te Ohaere-Fox has played 112 games along with 24 games for the Black Ferns including winning the 2010 World Cup

She debuted in 2004 and says the rugby whanau has been the main reason she’s stayed in the game so long.

“I’ve just been loving it and this has probably been one of my favourite years.

“I didn’t want to give up when I was kicked out of the team, I wanted to retire while I was still play some good footy.

“I think it’s been because I’ve been enjoying myself so much this year that it’s got me to express myself on the field.

Te Ohaere-Fox still plans to play for her Christchurch club.

Charmaine McMenamin
Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Auckland coach Willie Walker admits those retirements will give Canterbury extra motivation, but believes Waikato’s success last year certainly gives them hope of doing the same in Christchurch.

“Everybody’s beatable, we’ve seen it recently with the men’s competition and internationally.

“We’ve got to show up, that’s the key to it, I’m sure Canterbury will have a lot of motivation, but we’ve got our own in our group and so it’s going to be a good old final.”

Te Ohaere-Fox does concede that with her and Cocksedge retiring it does add a bit of pressure on them to win.

“No it’s never good to go out on a loss, but I think we’ve prepared enough as a team to go out and play some good footy.

“On the day if we play like we have been and we stick to our process and policies, I think we’ll go out have some fun and we should come out on top.”

Rugby Park in Christchurch has temporarily been renamed “Te Ohaere-Fox, Cocksedge Park” to honour the pair.

Meanwhile the championship final between Otago and Hawke’s Bay will be played in Balclutha.

Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin isn’t available this weekend, so the game has been moved south to the Clutha Rugby Club ground.

That’s the home of Otago co-captain Tegan Hollows.

“We were very gutted about Forsyth Barr obviously, I’d rather play there than Balclutha,” said Hollows.

With a lot of the grounds now not available as they change for summer sports and others not up to standard, it was suggested that Balclutha could fill the gap.

“The field in Balclutha hasn’t been played on since the men’s final about six weeks ago so it’s actually in tip-top shape and it’s got a good stadium.

“I kind of said it jokingly and they (Otago Rugby Union) just kind of rolled with it so I was down at the ground taking photos of the field and everything.

“I’m really excited.”

Farah Palmer Cup finals September 10th.

12:35pm Championship final, Otago vs Hawke’s Bay, Clutha Showgrounds.

3:05pm Premiership final, Canterbury vs Auckland, Rugby Park Christchurch.