{"id":711220,"date":"2026-06-02T21:58:11","date_gmt":"2026-06-02T21:58:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/711220\/"},"modified":"2026-06-02T21:58:11","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T21:58:11","slug":"my-heart-was-calling-cherrington-puts-hand-up-for-kiwi-ferns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/711220\/","title":{"rendered":"‘My heart was calling’: Cherrington puts hand up for Kiwi Ferns"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kennedy Cherrington has finally answered the calling to represent her family and culture at international level by putting her hand up for Kiwi Ferns selection at Rugby League World Cup 2026.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a decision that has been weighing on Cherrington\u2019s mind for at least two years as she has become deeply connected to her M\u0101ori heritage, and was reinforced during February\u2019s All Stars camp in Hamilton.<\/p>\n

International Rugby League\u2019s decision to remove the tiering for women\u2019s nations, coupled with changes to the State of Origin eligibility rules, has now made it possible for Cherrington to follow her heart and play for New Zealand.<\/p>\n

The Parramatta Eels and NSW Blues forward joins Maroons and Broncos prop Shannon Mato as the first Jillaroos stars to switch international allegiances to New Zealand or England, and more are expected to do the same ahead of the World Cup in a move that ensures the competitiveness of RLWC2026.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is just about connecting with who I am, and I think the rules have worked for players like me, Cherrington said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt has been sitting on my mind for about two years now to make this switch, and I did inquire about how someone would change because I just felt like I would really love to don the black jersey but it was a really hard process.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the forefront of this decision is my culture, my wh\u0101nau, my whakapapa and where I come from.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cherrington was born in Sydney and grew up in Perth, but she is from a proud M\u0101ori family with a strong connection to New Zealand. Her cousin Manaia Cherrington toured Britain with the Kiwis in 2015.<\/p>\n

After playing rugby sevens for Australia in her teens, Cherrington joined Sydney Roosters in 2020 and represented the Jillaroos at the last World Cup in 2022 \u2013 a proud moment for the now 27-year-old and her family.<\/p>\n


\n
\n
\n \"Kennedy
\n
\n
\n Kennedy Cherrington played six Tests for Australia since her debut at the World Cup in 2022.
\n \u00a9NRL Photos
\n
\n <\/p>\n

\u201cI took that opportunity with both hands because Australia is where I grew up and the country that gave my parents the opportunity for me to be able to chase my dreams and goals,\u201d Cherrington said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat opportunity itself was incredible, I have been able to do some amazing things in the NRLW and it has really built my confidence and brand – on and off the field.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut being an Australian-born M\u0101ori there is that desire and want to learn more about yourself culturally.<\/p>\n

\u201cProbably for the last two years I have been really deeply into learning about where I come from, with my language and my culture, going home more often and filling that puzzle piece that I didn\u2019t really have growing up here in Australia.\u201d<\/p>\n

Facing the haka while playing for the Jillaroos against the Kiwi Ferns at the World Cup in England and then again in the Pacific Championships also raised questions for Cherrington, who has represented M\u0101ori All Stars since 2021.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe haka, when the Kiwis Ferns challenge you, it asked questions of myself,\u201d Cherrington said. \u201cIt was like my heart was calling for that side, but my heart belongs on this side, as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cI said to my family after All Stars that I had decided I wanted to do it because I heard that the rules were going to be changed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI called my family and I said, \u2018Mum, Dad, I want to play in the black jersey\u2019, and they said it is completely up to you, but we would absolutely love and support you in that jersey.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I\u2019m ready now and I think my people are ready to receive me now too, if they pick me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cherrington welcomed the decision to scrap the tiering for women\u2019s teams so players like her, Mato, Olivia Kernick and Rima Butler now have the chance to represent their Kiwi heritage after previously playing for the Jillaroos.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can tie from different parts of the world, but people expect you to choose one. Unfortunately, it is not that easy because I have both in my heart.<\/p>\n

\u201cI tie from NSW, Western Australia and Aotearoa, so it is not so simple to just knuckle down and choose one.<\/p>\n

\u201cI get to play for the M\u0101ori in All Stars, but it was a little bit hard not being able to put on that black jersey and play for the whole of Aotearoa.\u201d<\/p>\n


\n
\n
\n \"Kennedy
\n
\n
\n Kennedy Cherrington (left) and Shannon Mato (right), with Simaima Taufa, swapped jerseys with Kiwi Ferns players after the RLWC2021 final but have now put their hand up to play for New Zealand.
\n
\n <\/p>\n

The Kiwi Ferns open their World Cup campaign against Fiji Bulikula at Newcastle\u2019s McDonald Jones Stadium on October 18 before meeting France at Christchurch\u2019s new indoor venue, One NZ Stadium, on October 25 and PNG Orchids at Cbus Super Stadium on October 31.<\/p>\n

With a strong squad bolstered by last year\u2019s return of the Warriors to the NRLW, Cherrington knows that she will have to earn her spot in the Kiwi Ferns team.<\/p>\n

New Zealand dominated women\u2019s rugby league until their first loss against the Jillaroos in the 2013 World Cup final and Cherrington believes that the Kiwi Ferns can regain their mantle as world No.1 at RLWC2026.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs soon as the rules changed, I was on the phone to (coach) Ricky Henry straight away and I wanted to let him know that I would love to be in a selection pool for the Rugby League World Cup,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just wanted it to be known to Ricky and the rest of the crew that I am here if they will have me and I will do anything to make sure I earn that black jersey for the World Cup.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to see the international game go to a different level and hopefully match State of Origin because representing your country should be the highest level.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey have got an amazing, rich history of being so dominant against the Jillaroos, back in the 1990s and 2000s, and I think that with this international rule change we can definitely match the Jillaroos.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Kennedy Cherrington has finally answered the calling to represent her family and culture at international level by putting…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":711221,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[567],"tags":[64,63,760,85],"class_list":["post-711220","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-rugby","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-rugby","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/711220","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=711220"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/711220\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/711221"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=711220"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=711220"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=711220"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}