Coles 'feeling fresh' as Saints get set for massive play-off semi-final

Coles suffered an ankle injury in the defeat to France in March and was left frustrated as he was relishing the chance to return to Saints action as soon as he could.

However, he was able to take some time to recover and give his body a much-needed rest before making a try-scoring comeback in the record-breaking win against Bristol Bears in the middle of last month.

He also started in the win against Gloucester a couple of weeks later before being given the chance to recharge the batteries a bit by not taking on Harlequins last Saturday as Saints made 13 changes.

However, he was still on the pitch at the Twickenham Stoop before the match, working up a sweat as he charged around during the warm-up.

"I was just getting a bit of fitness in," he explained. “The boys not playing had a pretty tough session on the Friday, but my back was playing up a little bit, so I missed that and I had to do some fitness on my own in front of the Stoop crowd instead.

"But it was alright, it was nice to be there to support the boys. It was frustrating we didn’t get the result, but there were plenty of positives to come from the performance.

"A load of us (players who were rested) came down anyway and travelled with the team, so a lot of the boys who weren’t playing were in the ground watching as well, just to stay connected to the squad.

“I just think at this stage of the season we just get a lot from keeping everyone together and keeping that squad feel that’s been so important for us throughout the calendar year and the whole of the regular season.

"It was just nice to be able to support those boys, especially as a lot of the time some of the boys who were playing are sometimes having to travel and watch us play. It was nice to return the favour, as such.”

Reflecting on the injury he suffered against France, Coles said: “It was frustrating timing, in that last Six Nations game.

"I was looking forward to coming back to Saints and picking up where we left off in the PREM, and then to get the injury was a bit of a blow, but it might have been a bit of a blessing in disguise in that it gave me a few weeks off running into 130-kilo men!

"My shoulders are feeling a little bit better than they did before the injury, so I’m feeling fresh.”

So was Coles ever worried he may not be able to play again this season?

“It’s kind of hard,” he said. “You never know but with the timeframe the physios gave me I felt pretty confident I could get back.

"Everyone was great, I managed to pretty much work to schedule, so it was nice to get a few 80 minutes in me leading into the play-offs, so I’m not too raw coming into this game.”

And this game is a truly gargantuan one as Saints host local rivals Leicester Tigers in a Gallagher PREM play-off semi-final on Friday night (kick-off 7.45pm).

"Funnily enough, off the pitch I actually get on really well with a lot of them, but that’s all going to be put to the side for this game,” Coles said, talking about the prospect of squaring up to some of his England team-mates this week.

"As a team, I think they’re really impressive. They put us to the sword when we went to Welford Road recently and they’ve also turned up and done well against us at home in the last few years, so they’re a real threat.

"We’re not taking anything for granted in that sense and their pack is especially strong; Joe Heyes is someone I’d name, alongside Ollie Chessum, as someone that’s come on unbelievably and is now a top player in his position in the world.

"We’re aware of those threats and we need to counter them with some of our own top players.”