What drives the All Blacks to perform out of their black socks every time they play a Test match? Simple, really, according to hooker Dane Coles who says that a fierce pride in that black jersey is all the motivation a New Zealander needs.
Speaking from the All Blacks’ hotel near the Gateway Shopping Complex in Umhlanga, Coles said there is no great mystery as to why the All Blacks will never be short of desire.
“That jersey is everything. It certainly is for me,” the 29-year-old Hurricanes captain said. “There are things like the match reviews by the coaches that are always honest and show room for improvement, but really it comes down to that jersey and not letting down those that have gone before and making sure it is in the best possible shape when it is handed over to your successor.”
Coles says that while it is nice to get a “pat on the back” when the team wins, the coaching staff are huge on making sure the All Blacks stay humble.
“The moment your feet leave the ground, you are in trouble,” he said. “I just feel a massive responsibility every time I pull on that jersey. I am sure all the guys feel that way and that desire to honour the jersey, coupled with humility, is a big part of why we play consistent footie. That is my opinion, anyway.”
Coles added that respect for Springbok rugby will give the All Blacks natural (added) motivation this week when they visit Kings Park.
Coles and fellow Hurricanes All Blacks such as Julian Savea need no reminding that their Super Rugby team was given a hiding in Durban earlier this year by the Sharks when they took their eye off the ball after having thumped the Lions by 50 at Ellis Park the week before. The Lions in turn had beaten the Sharks the previous week. The Hurricanes recovered from that wake-up call to win their maiden Super Rugby title.
“We fell into a (complacency) trap in Durban, make no mistake, but the circumstances this week are entirely different. It is a different group of players and it is a New Zealand versus South Africa Test match,” he said. “That Hurricanes loss has no relevance other than to remind those who played in that game just how tough it can be in this country.”
Coles added that the allure of a match against the Boks in South Africa remained undiminished for the All Blacks.
“I love playing the Boks; it is one of the best Tests in world rugby. In the match in Christchurch (earlier this season) they showed their potential and confirmed that by beating the Aussies last week,” he said. “All the Tests we have played here over the last four or five years have been epic struggles. We will have to take ourselves to the very limit both mentally and physically. And we are really looking forward to playing in Durban where we are certain to have a hostile reception. The atmosphere will be awesome.”
Coles will be up against Springbok captain Adriaan Strauss, who will be playing his last Test match on South African soil, having earlier this season announced that he is retiring at the end of this year.
Coles said that he had noted with pleasure his opposite number’s Man of the Match performance against the Wallabies last week.
“He is one of the world’s best hookers and I enjoyed watching him lead from the front. I thought he was excellent and he kept it up for 80 minutes. You seldom see a hooker play that long these days. I think the way he played will lift the Boks in that the best way for a team to improve is for your captain to play like that. I thought he was awesome.”
The Star