Veteran All Black Dane Coles to hang up his boots after 2023 World Cup

By SABC Sport
9th February 2023

All Blacks veteran hooker Dane Coles has announced that he will retire after the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France later this year.

Coles confirmed the news on Thursday and outlined the final stages of an impressive career that spanned 17 years where he played for Wellington, the Hurricanes and All Blacks.

The hooker started in the 2015 World Cup final that saw the All Blacks down the Wallabies to claim back-to-back titles for the first time ever.

Coles has won several Rugby Championships and is the joint-third highest-scoring All Black forward with a whopping 20 tries in 84 Tests.

The player drain continues in New Zealand, with many of Coles' team-mates, including Beauden Barrett, Richie Mo'unga, and Brodie Retallick, amongst those heading to Japan after the World Cup.

The 36-year-old thanked his local team, Poneke FC, amongst others and is looking forward to the next chapter.

"Thank you to Poneke FC (his local club), Wellington, the Hurricanes and the All Blacks for giving me my dream job," Coles said.

"I'm looking forward to enjoying the year and creating some new memories."

Coles will also go down in Super Rugby history after leading the Hurricanes to a title against the Lions in 2016.