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'It's a scar that will stay with you': Historic results 'gut-wrenching' for All Blacks hooker
While everyone outside of New Zealand raised their hands in celebration following Los Pumas’ first-ever victory over the All Blacks earlier this month, the beaten side were left lamenting the second time in just four years that they’d broken terrifying new ground.
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History isn’t made just by winners, of course, and it wasn’t just a historic win for Argentina – it was a historic loss for New Zealand.
In 2016, Ireland finally broke their duck in their 29th test match against the All Blacks and achieved their first win over the side after over 110 years of head-to-heads.
Argentina’s history with New Zealand isn’t quite as long, with their first match coming in 1985, but the result was one worth celebrating regardless.
Unless, of course, you were supporting the beaten team – or even worse – on the beaten team.
When Ireland earned their first victory over the All Blacks in Chicago, Dane Coles was the starting hooker for the losers. It was a similar story two weeks ago, with Coles again wearing the No. 2 jersey in the loss.
“If I’m honest, it probably is [one of the more gut-wrenching losses],” Coles told media following the All Blacks team announcement on Thursday. “I’ve been in this team twice when we’ve been the first team to lose to a country and I don’t think you’ll ever lose sight of that feeling. It’s a scar that will stay with you probably for the rest of your rugby career.
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“It’s something that hurts but the fortunate thing with rugby, you get another week to play them again. We get to heal that scar a little bit and get on with life.”
Coles has again been named to start at hooker when New Zealand and Argentina clash in Sydney this Saturday, and the 33-year-old is more than ready to right the wrongs of the last match after having the past weekend off.
“[The post-match review] was pretty brutal,” Coles said. “Especially coming off a loss, it’s an emotional, gut-wrenching kind of review.
“It’s been a long couple of weeks, to be fair. Obviously we had the bye so we couldn’t really wait to get into a working week. We took a few things out of it and just got to make sure we walk the walk this week and put those learnings into action on Saturday.”
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Coles revealed some of the key areas that the All Blacks have focussed on improving at training, including reining in their discipline while also playing a more instinctual game.
“I think a big thing out of the game was probably just some of our option-taking as a unit. Pulling the trigger on stuff that we can see but we were probably a bit structured and missed opportunities and that was a big thing that probably came out [in the review].
“I thought our passion was there but obviously our discipline was a massive factor in keeping that scoreboard pressure. So those two things, we’ve had to work hard on this week.”
The 73-cap hooker will start alongside Joe Moody – who also played against Argentina – and Nepo Laulala in the All Blacks front row.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Always reluctant to blame a coach when losses rack up, but Penney must go. The backline is dysfunctional and the coach must carry the can. No cohesion, no idea and in many cases, minimal skill. The trains out of Roma St depart faster than the ball from Crusaders’ set pieces. Wouldn’t be surprised if the forwards went on strike.
1 Go to commentsAdding to earlier comment. Cullen Grace has been playing great at no6. Lio-Willie , who was on fire a few weeks ago, had a bad game. I think Cullen should have been moved to 8 earlier, Dominic Gardiner on earlier. Feel for Quinten Strange , put in a big shift .
4 Go to commentsWe dominated the scrums Ben Curry was all over pitch again .Surely James Harper got to be one of best English tightheads
1 Go to commentsRoos is a better option at 6 than 8 for the boks. Needs to work on his windgat though.
1 Go to commentsThe Sharks’ 2nd team maybe?
1 Go to comments‘radical’
1 Go to commentsCome back to Christchurch Robbie, please!
1 Go to commentsI think there is zero chance Sam Cane will be selected for another Test. There is simply no point except sentimentality. Razor is not sentimental- ask Wyatt Crocket. Razor is a ruthless selector
4 Go to comments> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
4 Go to commentswhat’s happening to Ian Peel?
1 Go to commentsAs a Crusaders fan , so disappointed , again.But I think Fergus Burke was all class for the Crusaders in his first game since October last year. Fletcher Newell , was so good at prop. Johnny McNicoll has been gold since returning from Wales. Noah Hotham brilliant , in a coming of age second season for the Crusaders.Jone Rova did really well at centre. The end of the game was tough.Sevu Reece , what a game/season in tough times.
4 Go to commentsFellas a balloon
3 Go to commentsBlues B team on display and made no race of it. By far the best team in SR with the Hurricanes barely getting past the winning post. Up the Blues 💙
7 Go to commentsWould be amazing to have Servette Genève reaching this level
3 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can't buy a win this season. Surely Penney's contract won't be renewed. There's still enough talent in the squad that they oughta be winning more.
1 Go to commentsABs captain for 23 seasons. Decent record. Surely nobody will surpass it. Legend. But alas a typo…
4 Go to commentsJust FYI Rugbypass, I for one am tired of your clickbait titles and thumbnails and will be clicking them no longer. Good day.
1 Go to commentsI think Farrell despite all of the stick he gets in the media is still one of if not the best fly half in the world. He is literally the full package. He can kick one of the best in the world, probably has the best defensive game of a fly half in the world and if he wants to he can run, take contact and find an offload to keep the pace of the attack. I dont know why he isnt spoken more about still being one of the best in the world with the likes of dupont. Farrell is the ultimate captain and team leader and is experienced- he has been in nearly any situation you can think of. I still believe due to these reasons that he is England’s best ever player and is still one of the best players in the world.
48 Go to commentsBlues are dominating up front and that’s been a long time coming. They have won the up front confrontation which is where canes, hilanders and act brumbies are also strong.
7 Go to commentsJust watched brumbies v safas game sadly not a show in he’ll thryr anywhere near quarters or semi contention. Admittedly some issues around new comers bot what stands out for me is coaching management, poor game planning and accuracy.
5 Go to comments