‘Hazy hooker’ Coles on the mend, according to ABs assistant
Dane Coles, the most worrying of the All Blacks’ walking wounded, in on the mend in his ongoing struggle with concussion issues.
Quite what it means in terms of what lies beyond Friday’s first-up hitout against Samoa, and principally those three test matches against the British and Irish Lions, is anybody’s guess. The sight of the best hooker in world rugby wandering around inside Trusts Stadium in west Auckland on Tuesday with a cup of coffee in his hand, while his All Blacks teammates were out doing the hard yards on the adjacent training paddock, indicated there is still some time to pass yet before he is ready to test the noggin in the heat of one of those battles.
But soon after the second major training run of the week, assistant coach Ian Foster offered the most positive update we’ve had for a while on the Hurricanes hooker who has been beset by issues since his last game of Super Rugby in March.
Knee and calf problems initially kept the brilliant 49-test No 2 out of action, and then it was revealed, as his absence grew from weeks to months, that a mystery – and worrying – concussion issue (causing exercise-induced headaches) had become the No 1 concern. But Foster, amongst a generally upbeat update on the injured bodies, was able to offer a ray of hope around Coles.
‘‘All the information we have on the injured group is pretty positive now, and by the end of the week we’ll have a good handle on who’s ready to go either Friday or next week.’’
On Coles specifically, Foster added: ‘‘He’s not participating in any contact work within the team, and is still working with the doc and physio and doing his own thing. Once the medicos have given the all-clear ... but they’re delighted with his progress.’’
Foster was then asked if it was ‘‘same old, same old’’ with their hazy hooker? ‘‘The fact I used the word ‘delighted’ means we’re delighted with progress, so I wouldn’t say it is the same old.’’
Throw in Aaron Cruden (knee) doing straight-line running and on track for a full return next week, and Ryan Crotty continuing to make good progress with his ribs, and there’s a lot more positivity.