Combative Coles in command of Canes

He’d be a great mate, Dane Coles.

Loyal, honest, a bit of a rascal; you imagine the Hurricanes and All Blacks hooker would be tremendous company over a beer. But the beauty of the 29-year-old is that he’s all those things and so much more.

Coles is without peer in world rugby, for starters. The game isn’t short of good hookers, but none combine toughness, set-piece expertise and ball-running ability to quite the same level he does.

Again, though, that’s only part of the package. Becoming captain of the Hurricanes has revealed another impressive dimension to Coles’ character.

He might be rather different to predecessor Conrad Smith but he’s been no less effective, leading the Hurricanes to the top of the Super Rugby standings for the second year running. Better still, Coles has done it in his usual combative fashion.

The edges are slightly smoother these days, but they’ll always be prominent.

‘‘When I was a young fulla I was a bit cheeky and I used to get bullied by a lot of guys at college and I probably deserved the hidings. Sometimes it gets the better of me but that’s just my nature, I don’t back down to anybody,’’ Coles said.

Neither, it appears, do the Hurricanes. Their recent away wins over the Waratahs and Crusaders were packed with the qualities of Coles.

He’s been a battler since his school days at Parapara- umu College and is now instilling some of that attitude into a Hurricanes side that’s always been known for style, rather than substance.

‘‘We weren’t a big rugby school. We used to play the 2nd XVs from town [Wellington] and lose by a hundred and for Horowhenua-Kapiti we used to play a lot of guys I play with now and we’d score one try and be pretty happy with that,’’ said Coles.

It wasn’t until he was named in a New Zealand under-17 team that Coles realised his rugby career could amount to more than that. That prompted the decision to commute to Wellington College for his final year at school and see where the game might take him.

‘‘Going from Pram, where we just played rugby for the fun of it, and going to a traditional college was a bit overwhelming at first but, nah, I loved my time at both colleges.’’

Although he remains a small town boy at heart.

‘‘I love Wellington but I think Kapiti will always be home for me. When I finish up rugby I’ll definitely be moving back there. There’s just a bit of a slower pace, nice and low-key.’’

For a bloke who craves calm off the paddock, Coles’ performances and - sometimes - temperament can be pretty explosive on it.

‘‘People always say to me that I’m in the red but that’s just my game and sometimes that brings the best out in me. It’s the edge I play with.’’

It’s not an exact science. England hooker Dylan Hartley niggled Coles into a reaction, which got him sinbinned, at Twickenham in 2014, while referee Chris Pollock didn’t appreciate his manner or language in the recent win over the Waratahs.

‘‘I think I’ve been pretty good, apart from when I probably let my emotions get the better of me against Polly. But over the course of the year I’ve been pretty good,’’ said Coles.

‘‘You can’t change the ref’s decision and if you let your emotions get the better of you, they don’t want to hear about it.’’

So whether he’s dealing referee, or opponents such as Hartley, Coles is increasingly conscious of his behaviour. Penalties and spells in the sinbin don’t help the team and it’s a sign of weakness to let others win the mental battle over him.

Aside from anything else, they also stop Coles doing what he loves best. For a guy who claims not to be quick, he sure can run the ball.

‘‘You’ve got to do the setpiece stuff, but the way the gameplan is now you see a lot of hookers on the wing so you’ve got to have the skillset of a back. Like [fellow All Blacks hookers] Codie Taylor and Nathan Harris, they’re probably quicker than me, I just get excited when I get the ball; that’s the biggest thing.

‘‘When I do get the ball I just run as fast as I can.

‘‘Yeah, I love running the ball. I’ll back myself against anyone.’’

‘‘I love running the ball. I will back myself against anyone.’’