Pain of defeats still lingers for Coles

Dane Coles has a couple of scars no-one can touch or see.

Neither were a result of a stray boot or knee, and or required stitches because of split flesh, but the All Blacks hooker doesn't expect the ugly marks to fade until his playing days are done.

Coles was referring to the psychological wounds, rather than the physical ones, when he talked about howmuch it hurt to be in the first All Blacks team to lose to Argentina.

The unwanted milestone arrived November 14, when the Pumas beat the All Blacks 25-15 in Sydney, their first win over the three-time World Cup winners.

For Coles, it wasn't the only time he had lost to another country for the first time. He also left Soldier Field in Chicago defeated, when New Zealander Joe Schmidt inspired Ireland to an upset 40-29 victory.

As for the loss to the Pumas at Bankwest Stadium, Coles, when asked if it was one of the toughest to accept, was blunt: ‘‘If I am honest, mate, it probably is,'' he said.

‘‘I have been in this team twice when we have been the first team to lose to a country and I don't think you will ever lose sight of that feeling.

‘‘It is probably a scar that will probably stay with you for the rest of your rugby career.''

Coles has experienced wild highs and dreadful lows during his career; he was in the team that beat the Wallabies in the World Cup final in London in 2015, and last year played in the loss to England in the semifinal in Yokohama.