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Greatest hooker in All Blacks history? Why I’ll really miss Dane Coles - Chris Rattue’s winners and losers

By Chris Rattue

Sports Writer·NZ Herald·

5 Jun, 2023 01:50 AM7 mins to read

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Dane Coles thanks the crowd after his final home match for the Hurricanes. Photo / Photosport

OPINION

WINNER: Dane Coles, and Dane Coles v Codie Taylor

Loved that spat between the All Blacks hooker rivals in the Hurricanes-Crusaders duel.

The soon-to-be-retired Coles has been a brilliant part of New Zealand sport and rugby, a modern man of old values who stayed loyal to his Hurricanes yet

In this, he’s an older player who reflects how young players now look at sport and life.

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At his free-running best, Coles was as good if not better than any hooker in our history.

Insiders say that as the make-up of a once-great All Blacks team began to change, Coles stood out because he was one of the few who retained an ingrained belief that they were still the top dogs.

There’s an ugly side to New Zealand rugby’s general arrogance, but it was also an essential part of their old winning formula.

Coles’ flamboyant, open-field game was unique, and he is one of those few players I’ll really miss.

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At his best, I’d rank him just behind Sean Fitzpatrick as our finest No 2, and both of them had a wonderful ability to get under opponents’ skins.

Codie Taylor of the Crusaders and Dane Coles of the Hurricanes square off. Photo / Photosport

WINNER: Rose Zhang and the LPGA

Golf has an amazing new star — American amateur sensation Rose Zhang did the impossible by winning her opening professional tournament, via a playoff in a high-quality field at New Jersey.

(Another handy amateur named Tiger Woods finished 60th in his professional debut.)

Another contender in the LPGA event was Aditi Ashok from India, who has had a couple of wonderful Olympic efforts.

The LPGA is booming — it’s probably my favourite sport to watch these days.

As for Zhang’s first-up victory — absolutely incredible.

“What is happening? I just can’t believe it,” she said, understandably.

WINNER: The Mt Smart Stadium crowd

Gave the returning Warriors a brilliant reception as they ran out against the Dolphins on Saturday night.

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What followed was a top NRL game, with the home side hanging on through the tough times and finishing strongly against the impressive new club.

Bottom line: This is where the Warriors should play, as often as possible. The club needs to get this through its stubborn head — taking games to other New Zealand venues is a pointless, loser policy.

LOSER: Eden Park atmosphere

Try comparing the scenes at Mt Smart to those at Eden Park, for the Blues’ match against the Highlanders. Then try telling me that rugby isn’t in serious trouble.

And just ninety seconds into the Super Rugby game, we the paying public and the no-doubt frustrated players were left hanging around as yet another lengthy illegal tackle enquiry was conducted.

There are so many obvious mistakes in rugby, yet it doesn’t seem to learn from them.

WINNER: Shaun Johnson

Shaun Johnson of the Warriors runs in for a try against the Dolphins. Photo / Getty Images

Lived up to the Magic tag, with two sparkling tries to see off the Dolphins. But he still needs to prove there are more than a few tricks in his bag. This is Johnson’s moment to drive the club towards a third grand final appearance.

LOSER: The trains

Tried using the train ‘service’ to earlier games at Mt Smart but have given up — it’s too unco-ordinated and takes far too long. There are only so many hours you can lose waiting for a train at Penrose and a connecting one at Newmarket before the romance of this particular form of sports fandom wears off.

A great night watching a vital Warriors victory over the Dolphins was made even better thanks to the car factor.

WINNER: Nikola Jokić

Even American pundits are now acknowledging the unique Serbian basketballer is the best player on the planet. The lumbering Denver Nugget has amazing court vision and marvellous hands.

LOSER: Australian rugby’s PR grab

It looked to be on an absolute winner, signing giant league teenager Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i.

But the outside back, who was superb for Samoa at league’s World Cup, is in awful form for the Roosters, and faces continuing questions about his dangerous knees-high running style.

WINNER: New Zealand Super Rugby team

We already know that a New Zealand team will win the Super Rugby title, although the Brumbies must be some chance to win their home quarterfinal against the Hurricanes. If Australian rugby is making steps forward, they are very hard to spot. No wonder Eddie Jones wants more than the allowable three overseas-based players in his Wallabies World Cup squad.

WINNER/LOSERS: Devon Conway/his critics

The Black Caps' Devon Conway in action during the World Test Championship final in 2021. Photo / Photosport

The Kiwi opener starred in the IPL T20 cricket final, another wonderful moment in a career that has taken off in his 30s.

As for the supposed “backlash” after Conway rated it the best win of his career, I think New Zealand sports fans have a distorted view of international sport’s place in the world.

Yes, Conway won the World Test Championship with the Black Caps, and backtracked to a degree by explaining the IPL victory with Chennai was his greatest T20 moment.

But for many fans around the world, club allegiances and rivalries are far more important than the international stuff.

A player like Trent Boult has now put his club career ahead of the New Zealand contract system.

And how many of the supposed Conway critics actually watch test cricket? In marked contrast to our desolate test grounds, the wild celebrations after the Super Kings beat the Gujarat Titans seemed to go on longer than the actual game.

I wish Conway hadn’t felt the need to explain his position.

WINNERS: Manchester City

Beat arch-rivals Manchester United in the FA Cup final to remain on track for treble glory, going into next week’s Champions League final against Internazionale, or Inter Milan as most in the English-speaking world know them.

İlkay Gündoğan, Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne, Erling Haaland and co. should get the job done in Istanbul on Sunday.

WINNERS: Ukranian tennis protesters, and...

All power to them, for refusing to shake the hands of Russian and Belarus opponents, as a stand against the evil warmonger Putin.

And even greater plaudits to Daria Kasatkina, a rare Russian star willing to speak out against what she calls the “nightmare” invasion of Ukraine. Very brave.

WINNER: British cycling’s transgender stand

I have no figures to back this up, but surely almost everyone would find the British cycling’s position totally sensible, in dealing with a complex situation.

It has ruled that only people designated as female at birth can compete in women’s races, and re-categorised men’s racing as open. And they have done it in a very respectful way.

Men have a natural strength advantage over women, and as such women’s sport needs to be protected from allowing an unfair advantage for some to creep in. The integrity of women’s sport is actually at stake on this issue.