‘Perth loss helpful for All Blacks’ – Dane Coles

David Skippers

Learning from their loss to Australia in Perth earlier this year will be an asset for New Zealand in their preparation for Saturday’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final with Ireland.

That is the word from All Blacks hooker Dane Coles, who spoke of the need for the side to lift themselves before the return Bledisloe Cup game, which the world champions won in Auckland.

The lesson from that loss was that it was up to individuals to get themselves to the level required, he said.

“If we don’t bring that for a quarter-final against Ireland it’s not on. I’m pretty sure the boys will go to that place they need to, to turn up with the intent and energy for Saturday,” said Coles.

He said he was excited as he was at the same stage of the 2015 tournament before they met France. They had the chance to earn ‘another Monday’ if they could beat Ireland.

“It’s a big challenge and just good to be in this position and I know the players and the whole management are very excited about the challenge that lies ahead,” added Coles.

The 32-year-old said looking back to recent history against Ireland had not been something they had done in any earnest because World Cups were different.

“They [Ireland] may take a lot of confidence out of it [their recent wins over New Zealand] but we just have to know that we are playing Ireland in a quarter-final and that’s all we can do,” said Coles.

He feels the loss at the end of their 2018 season in Dublin had been because they were beaten by a better team and they wouldn’t make the excuse that it was at the end of their season.

“They may have a recipe to put us under pressure but we all know that being at a World Cup is very different and both teams will make sure their focus is on this week instead of other games that have happened before,” said Coles.

“It’s very important that we take our chances. We’re definitely not going to get what we’ve been given in pool play, we know that.”

It was important to remain focused on what they had been preparing, and the things that had been working for them.

“On the field we might get one chance to pull it off and we want to make sure we do that. If we don’t then that’s a chance that goes missing,” he explained.

“We’ve been really working hard on our game on attack and we’ll be doing the same this week and hopefully we can get some pictures on Saturday and execute those.”

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