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Dane Coles

Dane Stuart Coles (born 10 December 1986) is a former New Zealand rugby union player.

Dane Coles
Coles representing New Zealand during the November Internationals
Full nameDane Stuart Coles
Date of birth (1986-12-10) 10 December 1986 (age 37)
Place of birthParaparaumu, New Zealand
Height1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight110 kg (243 lb; 17 st 5 lb)
SchoolParaparaumu College
Wellington College
Rugby union career
Position(s) Hooker
Current team Kubota Spears
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2007–2022 Wellington 71 (90)
2009–2023 Hurricanes 141 (145)
2024 Kubota Spears 10 (20)
Correct as of 11 July 2024
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2007 New Zealand U21 1 (0)
2010 New Zealand Māori 3 (0)
2012–2023 New Zealand 90 (115)
Correct as of 29 October 2023
Medal record
Men's Rugby union
Representing  New Zealand
Rugby World Cup
Gold medal – first place 2015 England Squad
Silver medal – second place 2023 France Squad
Bronze medal – third place 2019 Japan Squad

Coles was a key member of the 2015 Rugby World Cup winning team. He also captained the Hurricanes to their maiden Super Rugby title in 2016. He was widely regarded as one of the best hookers in the world at the height of his career and was a nominee for World Rugby Player of the Year in 2016.[1]

Early life

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Coles attended Paraparaumu Beach School.[2] He later attended Paraparaumu College[3] and Wellington College.[4]

Rugby career

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In 2012, Coles made his All Blacks debut against Scotland.[5][6][7] He came on in the 62nd minute: New Zealand 51, Scotland 22.[8] Coles made three more appearances off the bench in 2012, earning his first start for New Zealand in 2013 against France.

Coles scored his first try against South Africa in 2014 in a 25–27 loss and had also become a regular starter for New Zealand by 2014, supplanting long-serving All Black great Keven Mealamu from the starting XV.

Coles started in the knockout rounds of the 2015 Rugby World Cup, including the final against Australia, where the 34–17 victory saw New Zealand become the first team to win back-to-back World Cup titles.

Of Ngāti Porou descent, Coles was awarded the Tom French Memorial Cup in 2016 as the Māori rugby player of the year.[9] After scoring four tries that year, which made him the highest-scoring forward in the squad for 2016, Coles was also nominated for New Zealand Rugby Player of the Year and World Rugby Player of the Year earlier in 2016, losing both awards to Hurricanes teammate Beauden Barrett.

Following the 2015 Rugby World Cup, Hurricanes midfielder and Captain Conrad Smith announced that he would leave New Zealand for Pau in France. Smith's departure saw Coles named as the captain of the Hurricanes for 2016.

Coles played in the first three games of the 2017 Super Rugby season for the Hurricanes but after a concussion on 18 March missed an extended period of time, including the drawn British and Irish Lions test series. Coles lost the Hurricanes captaincy to halfback TJ Perenara but returned to play in the Super Rugby quarter final on 21 July against the Brumbies in Canberra, coming off the bench for Ricky Riccitelli in the Hurricanes dominant 35–16 victory. He started the following week's semi-final against the Lions at Ellis Park Stadium, which the Hurricanes lost. Due to concussion he missed the first Bledisloe Cup test of 2017 but earned his 50th test in a 35–29 win against Australia in the second Bledisloe Cup test on August 26. Coles was retained as a starting player for the rest of the 2017 Rugby Championship despite the form of Codie Taylor who had started against the Lions in his absence. Coles scored a try in the 38–18 win against France but was subbed off after 20 minutes, due to tearing his ACL, in what was only his 11th professional rugby game of 2017.

Coles missed all of the 2018 Super Rugby season due to his ACL injury. Coles was expected to be back in time for the playoffs but was physically unable to run until June. England international, Brad Shields, captained the Hurricanes in 2018 in Coles' absence. After finally recovering from injury at the back-end of the 2018 Mitre 10 Cup, Coles, as well as his teammate Nepo Laulala were both recalled for New Zealand after a long injury-enforced absence. Coles played four tests for New Zealand during the 2018 end-of-year rugby union internationals, but was on the bench for the All Blacks against England and Ireland, having been surpassed as the first-choice hooker by Codie Taylor.

In 2021 Coles led the haka for the All Blacks side a total four times. For all four the Ka Mate version was performed. On 10 July 2021 versus Fiji Coles scored four tries which is a record for an All Blacks forward in one match.[10]

After the 2023 Rugby World Cup Coles signed with Japanese club Kubota Spears.[11] [12] [13]

Style of play

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Coles is a modern-game hooker who, without sacrificing mass or power for breakdown phases, is also extremely mobile across the field and capable of producing high-quality passing.[14] Such set of skills, traditionally unusual in a front-rower, allow him to join setplays as an extra centre and even to deliver impressively fast runs on the wing.[15] His effectiveness has been praised after his international debut, "with many experts describing Coles as having 'revolutionised' the role of the modern hooker".[16]

Honours

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New Zealand

Hurricanes

    • Winner Super Rugby - 2016

Individual

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IRB player of the year nominee - 2016

References

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  1. ^ "All Blacks: Dane Coles: Lord of the lineout". New Zealand Herald. 4 September 2016. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  2. ^ Bagge, Holly (7 August 2014). "ABs a hit in Kapiti". Stuff. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
  3. ^ "Coles gives prized All Blacks jersey to Paraparaumu College". The New Zealand Herald. 31 May 2016. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  4. ^ Robson, Toby (30 October 2012). "Coles' All Blacks dream becomes a reality". Stuff. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  5. ^ Napier, Liam (7 November 2012). "Hooker Dane Coles set for debut from bench". Rugby Heaven. Fairfax. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  6. ^ Moore, Brian (9 November 2012). "All Blacks hooker Dane Coles ready to turn up the heat on Scotland". Telegraph. UK. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  7. ^ Strang, Ben (13 November 2012). "Coles buzzing about All Blacks debut". Rugby Heaven. Fairfax. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  8. ^ Kitson, Robert (12 November 2012). "New Zealand's Dan Carter unstoppable in six-try romp against Scotland". The Guardian. UK: Fairfax. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  9. ^ Burnes, Campbell (16 December 2015). "Barrett brothers our best at NZ rugby awards". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  10. ^ Reive, Christopher. "Rugby: Dane Coles scores four tries off the bench to lift All Blacks over Fiji". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  11. ^ "The All Blacks who are leaving New Zealand, and what they'll do next". Stuff.
  12. ^ "Departing All Blacks veteran Coles shuns retirement to sign on with Japanese club" – via www.newshub.co.nz.
  13. ^ Skippers, David (4 December 2023). "All Blacks veteran feels 'young and energised' after retirement U-turn". PlanetRugby.
  14. ^ "Is Dane Coles The Exception To The Rule Or Is He Changing How We View Hookers?". Pundit Arena. 28 September 2016. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  15. ^ "Analysis: The remarkable work of Dane Coles". Planet Rugby. 20 September 2016. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  16. ^ "Is Dane Coles the exception to the rule or is he changing how we view hookers?". RNZ. 28 September 2016. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
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Awards
Preceded by Tom French Memorial
Māori rugby union player of the year
2016 		Succeeded by
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