Kendra Cocksedge will start at halfback for the Black Ferns against Wales. Photo: Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.nz
Black Fern Kendra Cocksedge, who is at her fourth and final Rugby World Cup, has issued a warning to Wales ahead of the quarterfinal in Whangārei.
The last time these two sides met in pool play the Black Ferns defeated Wales 56-12, but New Zealand will put a different side on the park on Saturday.
Cocksedge told Morning Report on the eve of the game there was a "good edge and energy" in the squad that had been based in Tutukaka this week.
The return of loose forward and co-captain Kennedy Simon to the game day 23 for the first time in the tournament was "exciting", Cocksedge said.
Simon was plagued by injuries this year and missed all of the pool games.
"Watch out Wales, she's fizzing. It's been tough for her sitting on the sidelines and watching the group," Cocksedge said.
Kennedy Simon has been named on the bench for the Black Ferns. Photo: Brett Phibbs
"I'm very close with Kennedy and I know that she's just going to come out there tomorrow and she's going to be fired up and we know she's got a real physical game in terms of her ball carrying and in the contact area."
Cocksedge acknowledged Wales' forwards were better than the Black Ferns during the game in Waitakere.
"They dominated our set piece in terms of their scrums and driving mauls and we've done a lot of work on that this week to counteract that.
"We've been making a few mistakes over the last few games that we're trying to tidy up."
Ahead of the knockout game Cocksedge said the focus was on getting an 80-minute performance out.
"We've started well and haven't ended well and visa versa so we're really keen to put that out there and progress to the semi-finals."
Cocksedge had signalled before world cup she would retire on home soil.
But before she hung up her boots she knew her vast experience was important around the group that had some players attending their first world cup.
"As an experienced player I have to be able to handle my nerves... if the young ones see me nervous or in the red then they're going to feel uncomfortable.
"That's the great thing about experience and being to four world cups and the amount of footy and competitions I've played that's helped me to realise that and work through that...it's just a way you learn around your mental skills and how you hold yourself in front of the group."
The Black Ferns quarterfinal clashes with the All Blacks game against Japan on Saturday but Cocksedge was not worried.
"If people want to watch the All Blacks then watch the Black Ferns on replay or visa versa. All I can say is that we're playing a great brand of rugby and you don't want to miss that."
