Dan Cole (rugby union)

Dan Cole (born 9 May 1987) is an English rugby union player who plays at prop for Leicester Tigers in the Premiership, for England internationally, and has been capped 3 times for the British and Irish Lions. Cole is known for his scrummaging ability. His former coach at Leicester, Richard Cockerill, described him as one of the finest tighthead props in world rugby.[3]

Dan Cole
Argentina vs England at 2011 Rugby World Cup
Birth nameDaniel Cole
Date of birth (1987-05-09) 9 May 1987
Place of birthLeicester
Height1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Weight123 kg (19 st 5 lb; 271 lb)[2]
SchoolRobert Smyth School
Q.E
Rugby union career
Position(s) Tighthead Prop
Youth career
–2005 South Leicester RFC
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2007– Leicester Tigers 234 (15)
2006–2008 Bedford (loan) 34 (20)
Correct as of 29 April 2020
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2009–2010 England A 11 (5)
2010– England 95 (20)
2013, 2017 British and Irish Lions 3 (0)
Correct as of 2 November 2019

Club career

Cole's first team début came in the October 2007 EDF Energy Cup pool match against Bath. Most of the 2007–08 season was spent on loan to Bedford Blues and it was the beginning of the 2008–09 season before Cole played for the first team again. Cole was involved in most of the games in the first half of the season.[4] In January 2009, Cole was loaned to Nottingham R.F.C.[5] Cole played as a replacement in the final of the 2008–09 Guinness Premiership.[6]

Through injury to Leicester tight-heads Julian White and Martin Castrogiovanni, Cole achieved a run of games during the 2009–10 season which saw him gain notoriety as man-of-the-match against London Wasps.[7] In February 2010, Cole signed a new contract.[8]

The Tigers went on to win the 2009-10 Guinness Premiership final 33–27 against Saracens, where Cole again came on as a replacement for Castrogiovanni.[9] Cole won his third Premiership title in 2013.[10]

Cole has gone on to make 175 first-team appearances, culminating in an Outstanding Service Award at the end of the 2016/17 season.[11]

International career

Having played for England at under-18, under-19 and under-20[4] Cole was selected in January 2009 to make his debut for the England Saxons, against Portugal.[12]

Cole started in all three games at the 2009 Churchill Cup, including the final against Ireland A.[13]

He was promoted to the Senior Squad for the 2010 Six Nations Championship as injury cover for Tigers squadmate Julian White[14] and made his senior England debut as a replacement for Dave Wilson in England's 30–17 win over Wales on 6 February 2010.[15] He played in all subsequent games in the 2010 Six Nations, even scoring his first international try in what was also his first home start against Ireland,[16] and began to cement his place as England's first-choice tighthead.

He was taken on the summer tour to Australia, and played in both matches. Although England lost the first game,[17] Cole put in a strong performance which saw the England scrum gain an unprecedented two penalty tries. The following Test saw England beat Australia 20–21.[18] Cole had a cut to the head within the first five minutes of the game, and needed to be continually substituted for blood injury, but pressed on, despite his left eye closing up almost completely. Captain and Tigers teammate Lewis Moody commented on how the team were inspired by Cole's perseverance.[19]

He was one of 37 players selected to represent the Lions on the 2013 British and Irish Lions tour to Australia.[20]

Cole was included in Stuart Lancaster's 31 man squad [21] for the 2015 Rugby World Cup and went on to start in all 4 of their games.

He was included in new coach Eddie Jones's 31 man squad for the 2016 Six Nations and scored a try in the final game against France after being held up over the line against Wales the week before.

Cole was included in the 2016 England Rugby Tour of Australia; he played in the one off test against Wales at Twickenham, being replaced by Leicester teammate Ellis Genge, and started in all three tests in Australia. Cole scored a try in the final test against Australia in which England whitewashed the Wallabies for the first time.

Although Cole was dropped from England's international team at the end of 2018, a resurgence in form saw him re-selected for the 2019 Six Nations Championship. Cole's continued good form saw him selected for the 2019 Rugby World Cup, for which would be Cole's third Rugby World Cup.

On 26 September 2019, in a World Cup match against the USA, Cole became England's joint-third highest capped player with 91 international appearances.[22]

International tries
As of 7 July 2019 [23]
TryOpposing teamLocationVenueCompetitionDateResultScore
1 IrelandLondon, EnglandTwickenham Stadium2010 Six Nations27 February 2010Loss16 – 20
2 FranceParis, FranceStade de France2016 Six Nations19 March 2016Win31 – 21
3 AustraliaSydney, AustraliaSydney Football Stadium2016 Tour of Australia25 June 2016Win44 – 40
4 ItalyLondon, EnglandTwickenham Stadium2017 Six Nations26 February 2017Win36 – 15
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References
  1. http://www.leicestertigers.com/rugby/leicester_tigers_senior_squad.php?player=33339&includeref=dynamic
  2. "RFU Official Site of the RFU, Governing Body of Rugby Union in England". web page. RFU. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
  3. "Cole hailed as one of best in the world". RBS 6 Nations. 26 December 2012. Archived from the original on 16 February 2013. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
  4. "Tigers Squad – Dan Cole". Leicester Tigers. Retrieved 1 February 2009.
  5. "Cole and Youngs on Loan". Nottingham RFC. 9 January 2009. Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2009.
  6. Palmer, Bryn (16 May 2009). "Leicester 10–9 London Irish". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 February 2010.
  7. "Leicester 34–8 Wasps". BBC Sport. 9 January 2010. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
  8. "England trio secure new Leicester Tigers deals". BBC Sport. 1 February 2010. Retrieved 3 February 2010.
  9. Foy, Chris (31 May 2010). "Tigers pounce to give Lewis Moody a victorious send off". London: Daily Mail.
  10. "Aviva Premiership final: Leicester 37-17 Northampton". BBC. 25 May 2013. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
  11. "Share your #Welford125 memories with Tigers". Leicester Tigers. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  12. "England Saxons 66–0 Portugal". BBC Sport. 30 January 2009. Retrieved 3 February 2010.
  13. "Ireland A 49–22 England Saxons". BBC Sport. 21 June 2009. Retrieved 3 February 2010.
  14. "Senior England EPS Update". RFU Official site. 25 January 2010. Archived from the original on 22 September 2012. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
  15. Palmer, Bryn (6 February 2010). "England 30–17 Wales". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 February 2010.
  16. Rees, Paul (27 February 2010). "Tommy Bowe's try for Ireland ends England's grand slam hopes". London: Guardian Sport.
  17. "Australia 27 – 17 England". BBC Sport. 12 June 2010.
  18. Palmer, Bryn (19 June 2010). "Australia 20 – 21 England". BBC Sport.
  19. Moody, Lewis (19 June 2010). "How one-eyed Dan Cole inspired us by toughing it out". London: Mail Online.
  20. Paul Rees (30 April 2013). "Jonny Wilkinson turned down Lions chance, says Warren Gatland". London: Guardian. Retrieved 30 April 2013.
  21. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/england/11827273/England-Rugby-World-Cup-squad-announcement-live.html
  22. "Ben Youngs praises Dan Cole with England duo set to equal Jonny Wilkinson caps tally". Sky Sports. 26 September 2019. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
  23. "Dan Cole". 7 July 2019.
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