Rugby: Opportunity beckons for Black Ferns hopefuls as Farah Palmer Cup kicks off

Canterbury will feature several Black Ferns in their Farah Palmer Cup squad this season. Photo / Photosport

The need for game time will see Black Ferns hopefuls turn out in droves for the Farah Palmer Cup season, with players looking to press their case for higher honours later in the year.

With the Black Ferns hosting the World Cup in October, national team players will be available for nearly all of the national provincial competition – with those selected for the Laurie O'Reilly Cup tests against Australia missing weeks six and seven before rejoining their squads.

Ahead of the opening round of the competition this weekend, Canterbury and Black Ferns halfback Kendra Cocksedge told Newstalk ZB's Nick Bewley getting game time under their belts was an absolute necessity for World Cup preparations.

"I'll just put it out there – I think, for us, we have to play as much rugby as we can," Cocksedge said. "That's been told to us, so the availability for Canterbury is really high and that's really exciting. We're fully integrated into the Canterbury team, and if you're successful in making those Laurie O'Reilly [tests] you file out for two weeks then come back into it.

"There's going to be no rest for the wicked. It's going to be a pretty full on few months leading into the World Cup. Especially for me as a halfback, I need as much game [time] as possible, so I'll be hopefully pushing that with the coaches, and I know they're going to be wanting to support us where they can in terms of putting our best foot forward for selection for the Black Ferns."

The Black Ferns will be well spread throughout the competition, with Canterbury, Waikato, Auckland and Bay of Plenty the teams who will field the most players from the most recent Black Ferns squad.

Cocksedge said the national team learned just how vital game time can be when it comes to making the step up to the test arena last year when, after limited involvement in the Covid-19 impacted competition in 2021 which included Black Ferns players missing the final.

"That's massive for us," Cocksedge said of getting more game time ahead of the World Cup. "With the Black Ferns end of year tour last year, it wasn't successful and it came down to us not playing enough footy. So now we're getting involved in everything we can.

"There are definitely certain positions that are going to need more time in the saddle and around the 9 and 10 that's really important. There might be some limited game time for some players depending on how much game time there is through Laurie O'Reilly, but we'll take each week as it comes.

"I'm really excited to filter back in and I know all the Black Ferns love playing Farah Palmer Cup. When there was a possibility we weren't going to be able to, it was gutting and a bit sad for the game. It's exciting that we've been given the green light to fully integrate into the FPC."

Opening round fixtures

Waikato v Manawatu, Saturday, 12.05pm
Wellington v Canterbury, Saturday, 12.05pm
Auckland v Counties Manukau, Saturday, 2.05pm