Coles in All Blacks camp

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Hooker Dane Coles has been included in an All Blacks wider training camp this week ahead of this year’s Rugby Championship.

However, the 31-year-old will not take part in the tournament’s first few matches.

Coles, who has been sidelined for the past nine months with knee and calf injuries, will first play a few matches in New Zealand’s National Provincial Cup for Wellington.

He could be in line to face Argentina in Buenos Aires on September 30, and South Africa the following week in Pretoria.

“More than likely we will name him [Coles] so we can have access to him as the season goes on. But he will come back through the Mitre 10, and play various amounts of minutes there. Once he’s had enough rugby, he’ll come to us,”  All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen told stuff.co.nz.

Meanwhile, Sonny Bill Williams will not be available for the first two Bledisloe Cup matches against Australia as he is still recovering from a shoulder injury he suffered against France in June.

Chiefs tighthead prop Nepo Laulala, who suffered a broken arm in March, will not be available for some time.

“Unfortunately, Neps has just had a re-operation on his arm. It didn’t heal properly so he’s had to get a bone graft on that and he won’t be available now, possibly, everything going well, until the end-of-year tour,” Hansen added.

Players from the Crusaders in contention for the All Blacks are not attending the camp as they prepare for the Super Rugby Final this Saturday.

All Blacks wider training camp: Jordie Barrett, Ben Smith, Nehe Milner-Skudder, Waisake Naholo, Rieko Ioane, Anton Lienert-Brown, Sonny Bill Williams, Ngani Laumape, Beauden Barrett, Damian McKenzie, Aaron Smith, TJ Perenara, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi,  Luke Whitelock, Akira Ioane, Sam Cane, Ardie Savea, Liam Squire, Shannon Frizell, Vaea Fifita, Jackson Hemopo, Brodie Retallick, Patrick Tuipulotu, Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, Karl Tu’inukuafe, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Dane Coles, Liam Coltman, Nathan Harris.

Source: stuff.co.nz