Super Rugby: Dane Coles stars as Hurricanes round up Brumbies in Palmerston North

Dane Coles scored a double for the Hurricanes in their win over the Brumbies. Photo / Photosport

As if Dane Coles was going to let his ongoing knee issues slow him down on his return to regular football.

It might have taken him more than 570 days to return to the Hurricanes No 2 jersey after the side's 2017 semifinal loss to the Lions, but after getting familiar with the starting role again last weekend, he put any worries over his health beyond doubt against the Brumbies.

Heavily strapped, Coles played a starring role in the Hurricanes 43-13 win over the Brumbies in Palmerston North tonight, scoring two tries – with one particularly impressive diving try on the wing, making his tackles and sorting out the lineout woes the side experienced against the Crusaders in 62 minutes of work.

Not to be outdone, hometown hero Ngani Laumape made the most of his return to the starting lineup, bulldozing defenders to bag himself a hat-trick on home soil.

It was a much more cohesive performance from the Hurricanes than their display in Christchurch a week ago, with the return of Beauden Barrett adding some much needed energy to the attack. Alongside halfback TJ Perenara, Barrett orchestrated the attack brilliantly and helped to set the tempo of what was a high-paced game of football.

In the engine room, young flanker DuPlessis Kirifi continued to show he's one for the future as he was dominant at the breakdown and more than up to the task of taking on his opposite in Wallabies star David Pocock.

It wasn't a complete performance from the hosts – and you wouldn't expect it to be just three weeks into the competition – but the signs are positive after a couple of average outings to start the year.

Discipline remains an area of concern for the Wellington club, conceding seven penalties in the first half alone, and ball security was lacking at times as the side coughed the ball up 16 times in the match.

The Brumbies were well in the match at halftime, with a Folau Fainga'a try and a penalty from the boot for Christian Lealiifano responding to Coles' first-half double and Laumape's first try to have the visitors within 11 points at the break.

However, the Hurricanes took the ascendancy early in the second half and strangled the life out of the Brumbies side. While the play was fairly even in the opening 40, the Hurricanes dominated the ball to end the match with 60 per cent of the football.

Things didn't get any easier for the Brumbies when Pocock was shown a yellow card for tackling Perenara away from the ball in the 63rd minute, but they eventually got back over the line through former NRL player Tom Wright – scoring with his first touch.

However, by that point the scoreline had been blown out beyond the Brumbies' reach. Hurricanes lock James Blackwell added one last try after the siren to put the final nail in the Brumbies coffin as the Hurricanes closed out an important and impressive victory.

Hurricanes 43 (Ngani Laumape 3, Dane Coles 2, James Blackwell tries; Beauden Barrett 4 cons, pen; Jackson Garden-Bachop con)
Brumbies 13 (Folau Fainga'a, Tom Wright tries; Christian Lealiifano pen)