Dan Cole: Leicester Tigers prop 'never gave up' on England recall
- Published
Dan Cole featured in five World Cup games in France
Dan Cole says his performance in England's World Cup exit against South Africa was a lesson in redemption.
The 36-year-old prop played a lead role in the pack's fierce semi-final performance against a side that almost ended his international career.
After his display against the Springboks in 2019 final, he failed to again play for Eddie Jones.
"It's a lesson you try teach your kids - don't give up, don't give up and don't give up," Cole said.
"Hopefully when I'm old, or older, I can tell the boys that 'yeah, keep going and keeping going, go though all the stuff, the outside noise, and eventually things may come right.
"There was probably a special moment of reflection, I think, for myself, Jamie George, [Joe] Marler, those kind of guys that had been through it four years ago.
"Four years ago we weren't as bad as we performed.
"This time around we had a bit more parity and it was something that in future I will look back on with more pride because yes, that ability to turn things around.
"I would happily have taken a bad performance individually for a victory, but that wasn't the case."
Leicester Tigers prop Cole went more than three years without playing for England after their final defeat in Japan, with his recall to the national side only coming after Jones was sacked.
Steve Borthwick, a head coach he won the Premiership title under at Leicester Tigers, included the British and Irish international Cole in the first side he selected for the Six Nations in January.
He had been stranded on 95 caps for years, but has since become a Borthwick favourite.
Cole has gone on to take his international appearance tally to 110, and went on to feature in his fourth World Cup.
With the tournament coming just nine months after Borthwick's appointment and preparations including five defeats in six games - including a first ever defeat by Fiji - Cole said England grew more than any side he had been a part of at previous tournaments.
"I'm very grateful to have been included with such a great group of guys, and great squad," he told BBC Radio Leicester.
"There was a fair amount of England won't get out of the groups, can't do this and can't do that.
"It's probably one of the proudest World Cups I've been involved in for the way we built as a squad and got to where we were.
"As soon as we got to France the focus narrowed down. In the warm-up games there is always that element of getting picked, not getting picked, being fit and actually getting to the World Cup - people miss out and there is always that fear.
"As soon as we got to the World Cup, the squad pulled together. I remember the fist training session, and it was totally different vibe in the playing group."
Cole's England and Tigers team-mate Freddie Steward has previously said that the eventual semi-final defeat remains raw and will take some getting over.
And while painful, Cole has put their third-place finish in perspective.
"It's tough, but it wasn't as tough as it was four years ago when you lose a final," Cole said.
"There are plenty of positives to take out of it. South Africa are worthy winners, look at the route they took. They are a special team and to lose to them in the semi-final and go as far as we did is something this group proud of achieving."