DAN Cole is gunning for Six Nations glory after revealing he got permission from his missus to continue his Test career after the World Cup.
Wife Isobel gave her blessing to the Leicester prop carrying on and Cole, who turns 37 in May, is set to win England cap number 110 on Saturday against Scotland at Murrayfield.
It was assumed Cole would follow the likes of Jonny May, Ben Youngs and Courtney Lawes into Test retirement after France 2023 but his wife gave him the nod to carry on.
Cole is making up for lost time after being dropped by Eddie Jones after the 2019 World Cup final before returning under Steve Borthwick this time last year.
The tighthead has not put a date on his retirement but knows he has not got much time left at the highest level – so does his florist partner.
Cole said: “It was a joint decision. She is very understanding and knows that I have not got many games left. She understands with Steve here and Kevin Sinfield and the coaches she knows from Leicester, it is a very good team environment and place to be.
“I won’t be doing it for ever, so enjoy it. We will see how it goes. Having been outside for three years, you are envious of blokes who are in the team and the team is doing well. When they won that Six Nations in 2020 after the World Cup, you want to be part of that. Being out of it, you do have other things to do in life, but you are envious at not being involved with the feeling of being in a team. That is one thing a few of us older guys appreciate now is being in a team and working towards a victory.”
Cole’s wife gave him green light to carry on
Cole first played in a Calcutta Cup match at Murrayfield in 2010 when Borthwick, right, was captain. That day, an unconscious Ugo Monye got taken off on a golf cart which broke down and had to be pushed off the pitch. Scrum-half Danny Care, 37, is another survivor from that game and part of the development of a revamped England despite being odds against to make the next World Cup in Australia in 2027.
Cole added: “Steve has deliberately been quite direct in saying this is a new team, there are some old people in it, but it is a new squad, new direction. There is a core of young players who will take the thing on through for the next four, eight or longer than that years. There are a
