Injured Coles: It is what it is
ABs hooker facing six months on sidelines
It says a lot about Danes Coles that he could manage a wry smile as he hobbled about the All Blacks’ latest hotel stopover in the French city of Lyon.
Coles’ rugby year from hell has taken another dark turn with the All Blacks hooker ruled out of the rest of the northern tour after suffering a serious knee injury with a ruptured ACL in Sunday’s test against France in Paris.
He will jet home immediately after tomorrow’s game between the All Blacks and a French XV in Lyon, joining the half-dozen called up from the Barbarians squad to supplement the touring New Zealanders.
Coles’ wrecked knee will require surgery and a recovery period his coach put in the four to six-month range, but will almost certainly sit around the longer part of that equation.
It’s a cruel blow for one of the most genial, likeable and flat-out talented members of Steve Hansen’s No 1 rugby squad in the world. The 56-test veteran and Hurricanes skipper has only just refound his rhythm after spending four months on the sidelines earlier this year laid low by a mystery head problem that he admitted had him questioning whether he would ever play again.
Now this. If Coles didn’t have wretched luck, he would have none at all.
But there he was putting on that brave face he has had so much practice with in 2017, shrugging off his latest setback as he crossed paths with domr members of the touring Kiwi media posse.
‘‘It is what it is,’’ he said, chuckling at a riposte that his wife might not be so happy to hear she was about to get him home again on the recovery beat.
He wasn’t up for an official chat, but he made it abundantly clear that this latest setback would be taken in stride, just as the earlier one had been.
The 30-year-old who is widely recognised as the world’s best hooker had made such a promising start to just his seventh test of the year (that head knock denied him the once-in-a-career chance to battle the British and Irish Lions) at a seething Stade de France when he crossed in the ninth minute for his 10th try at this level.
Then his world came crashing down. Again. His leg had got caught in the turf, and as bodies crashed around him, he felt something give. He tried to play through it, but eventually, in the 24th minute, he was forced to trudge off.
It was the last we will see him on a rugby field till around maybe late-April or May next year.
‘‘He is going to require an operation,’’ said All Blacks coach Steve Hansen. ‘‘It will get sorted once he gets home. It’s really disappointing for him. But, having recovered from the head knock, an ACL is nothing really. He’ll come back from that.’’
Coles won’t be replaced on the tour, with the three fit and available No 2s capable of covering the three remaining fixtures. Tests against Scotland and Wales follow the French XV matchup in Lyon.
Codie Taylor will step up to the starting role for the final two tests, as he did against the Lions midyear, and Nathan Harris will likely slot into the bench spot. His minutes will be managed for that reason in Lyon.
At the Hurricanes Chris Boyd also has the depth to cope, though Coles will be sorely missed. Ricky Riccitelli and rookie All Black Asafo Aumua will cover the hooker’s duties until their mentor returns.
It is, of course, a sad state of affairs for a man who plays the game at all times with a smile on his face. But it did not take long for his All Blacks mates to have some fun at his expense.
Liam Squire talked about it being much quieter in Canes matches, and his Highlanders team-mate Lima Sopoaga agreed: ‘‘With the character of the man he’ll be back bigger, fitter, stronger and, I’m sure, even mouthier come Super Rugby.
‘‘For the early rounds it will be good not to see him on the field, and I know at the back end when he comes back he’ll have plenty of fine words saved up.’’
Added franchise team-mate Ardie Savea: ‘‘When he came back after his concussion break for the Canes that whole week he was on fire ... he wears his heart on his sleeve, he’s so passionate about the game, and performing well.
‘‘I have no doubt he will come back as strong as ever and raring to go.’’