Stoking the Coles: veteran is fired up
Black pack put the upstart Aussies back in their box
Dane Coles adding another back to the list of players he’s left in hiswakeover the years typifies his under the radar influence since returning to the starting All Blacks team in the past two tests.
Coles should, in theory at least, be approaching the twilight of his career. Yet after outstripping Wallabies halfback Nic Whitedown the right-hand edge to score what should have been a try last Saturday night in Sydney, the 33-year-old continues to prove his dynamic value.
Twoweeks ago, after being elevated to the starting team, Coles instigated the mongrel the All Blacks pack needed to steamroll the Wallabies at Eden Park following a lacklustre firs- upperformance in Wellington.
Last weekendhe claimed his 12th test try after rumbling over from a rolling maul but itwashis earlier effort, in the 10th minute of the 45-3 romp, which again highlighted his rare pace and skill which have revolutionised the hooking role.
Despite applyingdownward pressure to the ball in-goal, andnew Zealand referee Ben O’keefe awarding the try after saying hewas happy with the grounding, Australiantmoangus Gardner then intervened to deny Coles that first try.
Fellow All Blacks hooker Codie Taylor watched on from the sideline and had no doubt about the ruling, while revealing the cross-field kick from Richie Mo’unga was an instinctive moment, not a planned move.
“I wouldn’t saywepractise it … every time I’m out there on the wing I’m having a smoko, having a break. I thought thatwas a try,” Taylor said. “Dane did well to get to that point, itwas pretty magical.
“He’s pretty quick. I think he’s the oldest player in the team but he’s still got a bit of toe.”
Coles’ reaction added to the uncertainty, however, with little in thewayof a celebration.
“Yeah, that might have helped,” Taylor saidwhenasked if Coles needed to sell it more. “He wasn’t too convinced himself, I suppose.”
Aseries of concussions and niggly calf issuesdimmedcoles’ contribution to the Hurricanes and All Blacks in recent seasons but after reclaiming theno 2 jersey in Auckland, he seems back to his best.
Not only has Coles held off the ever-consistent Taylor but damaging
Hurricanes team-mate Asafoaumua continues to bide his time as he waits to be unleashed for his test debut, whichmaycomeagainst thepumas in the All Blacks’ final two tests of the year.
Coles’ resurgence was merely one example of amemorable night for the All Blacks forward pack in Sydney.
Blues prop Karl Tu’inukuafe’s opening strike in the fifth minute— his first test try— was notable for the bigdummyhe sold, and thewayhe then went to place the ball for another phase after rolling over the line.
“Karl is a pretty humble kid,”
Taylor said. “He admitted he didn’t evenknowthere were four people outside himwhenhe scored that try. Itwas awesometo see him get over the line. It was a great opportunity forhim to have a start and I thought he played well.”
While Caleb Clarke, Beauden Barrett and Mo’unga have been showered with plaudits for their respective performances in the dominant victories at Eden Park and Sydney, the pack deservesmuchof the credit for responding from Wellington where they were often beaten to the punch at the breakdown.
With Greg Feek coming on board as scrum coach and John Plumtree overseeing the lineout and collisions, the All Blacks have brought anotable edge to these areas in the past two tests.
In those matches the All Blacks scrum is operating at 100 per cent, winning 17/17 of theirownscrums, while the lineout has lost two of 26 on theirownthrow. This dominant platform has ultimately allowed the likes of Clarke, Barrett and Mo’unga to shine.
Repeating their vice-grip set piece control at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday, as the All Blacks attempt to shut out the Wallabies, will go a longwayto securing a third straight victory over Dave Rennie’s men.
“Feeky has been really great around our scrum,” All Blacks lock Scott Barrett said. “He’s working really well as a teamwith Ofa [Tuungafasi], Joemoodyand the boys up-front with a clear strategy around whatwewant to achieve each week. Plum works well with the lineout and the leaders there too, so they’re combining in a great team at the moment.
“The set piece at test level is your numberone, your bread and butter. Whenthe pressure really comes on, you want that to be solid soweput a lot of time into that each week.”
— Nzherald