Rugby: Dane Coles could give ABs final quarter push in Dunedin

Hooker Dane Coles is likely to be available to play in the second Bledisloe Cup test against the Wallabies as the All Blacks focus on a true 80-minute performance - something they haven't achieved since last year.

Coles travelled to Sydney last week but didn't play in his team's 54-34 victory at the weekend as a precaution due to another head knock, the latest in a series of issues which saw him miss a major part of the Hurricanes' season.

His last test was in France in November and if he plays in Dunedin on Saturday night it will be his 50th.

Coles' presence will be extremely welcome not only for his return to the test arena and the quality he brings to the front row, but also for the fact his energy and workrate could help the All Blacks regain their dominance in the final quarter of a test.

That finishing power has been a major weapon in their armoury under coach Steve Hansen, but it failed them at ANZ Stadium as the Wallabies scored four unanswered tries and it wasn't there either during the British and Irish Lions series.

The Lions held the All Blacks to a converted try each in the final quarter of the home side's 30-15 victory at Eden Park, Hansen's men were outscored 10-3 at the end by the Lions in Wellington as the visitors hit back 24-21, and the score in the final quarter in the drawn third test at Eden Park was 3-3.

Coles, in tandem with Codie Taylor, could help to improve that.

"He trained really well," assistant coach Ian Foster said today. "He had a good week last week actually and he came through today really well."

Midfielder Sonny Bill Williams is also likely to be selected despite a head knock last weekend.

"Sonny took a knock in the weekend but he was symptom-free," Foster said.

"The Doc has done what he always does when there is a suspicion of something. He was held back a little bit today so we could make sure he was absolutely clear but the signs are really positive."

With loose forward Akira Ioane brought in as cover, Jerome Kaino almost certainly won't be involved in the test after leaving Sydney last week to deal with a personal issue.

Foster said maintaining standards for the whole test was a priority after the All Blacks, up 40-6 at halftime in Sydney, let it slip in the second half.

And it wasn't as simple as blaming a lack of impact from the reserves bench, he said.

"I don't think we've won a last quarter for the last two or three tests so from that respect it's something we have to do better," Foster said.

"I think we've got to be careful not to just label it as the bench. It's the team that's on the field in the last quarter. In Sydney we were seeing mistakes, execution mistakes, from some players who had been on the field the whole time.

"Perhaps we're trying a little bit too hard in that period rather than trusting what we're doing and getting back to doing some simple things.

"We're playing around with it, we want to get it right, and clearly it wasn't right in Sydney."