Six Nations 2019: Dan Cole reminds Eddie Jones of his quality as Tigers are tamed again

On Saturday Cole, looking as fit and lean as he has for several seasons, caused absolute havoc for Ulster

Cole is pushing hard for an England starting berth (Getty Images)

As Leicester Tigers fans survey the wreckage of their team’s latest European no-show they can at least take comfort from the welcome return to form of their veteran England prop, Dan Cole.

The 31-year-old, recalled last week by Eddie Jones to England’s 35-man squad to take on Ireland after being omitted from last November’s Test series, was again nothing short of magnificent for Tigers on Saturday as they threatened to derail Ulster’s knock-out hopes.

Cole won the last of his 82 England caps against Ireland at Twickenham last March and his torrid start to this season saw Jones drop him on form. Inevitably, questions over an international future which began under Martin Johnson’s coaching reign almost a decade ago began to surface.

The Tigers academy graduate marked his 200th appearance for his club last September and has already played 17 games this season. With 10 Premiership campaigns already under his belt, the 19stone 5lb tighthead could easily have settled for the relatively quiet life at the coal face of club rugby.

But he has clearly had other ideas. On Saturday Cole, looking as fit and lean as he has for several seasons, caused absolute havoc for Ulster at the breakdown in the first 40 minutes as Leicester took a 10-0 first half lead.

Cole single-handedly effected three turnovers, made one superb carry which could so easily have led to a try and scrummaged aggressively as he reminded us of his international calibre. On this evidence, he looked every inch an England starter.

Harlequins prop Kyle Sinckler has made the England No 3 shirt his own in recent times while Exeter’s Harry Williams has also moved up the rankings but Cole is clearly not ready to relinquish his international shirt and looks set to push his two rivals hard for a starting spot against Ireland on February 2.

Much of England’s woes last season were caused by their inadequate collective work at the breakdown and with Jones last week hailing Jack Nowell’s work at rugby union’s messiest part of the game, an in-form Cole produces work over the ball which makes him unique among English props.

He has suffered for his art over the years. In 2014 Cole underwent spinal surgery which saw a worn-out disk in his neck replaced with a plate with ball and socket joint inside which enabled the bone to re-graft back around it and save his career in the process. At the age of 26, it was testament to the volume of rugby he had already played and the physical battering his body had sustained, that such extreme measures were required just to keep him on the field.

At the start of this campaign, it looked for all the world as if time was finally catching up with him. His return to top form in recent weeks has been testament to his professionalism and mental strength.

When he is as good as this, he will be hard to omit.

Cole simply did not deserve to be on the losing side on Saturday. By pulverising Ulster at the break down the visitors simply could not match Leicester’s physicality in the early stages as Cole and his fellow forwards bossed the game in a manner all too rarely seen this season.

Cole has been in fine form in recent weeks (Action Images)

Sadly for the home team’s long-suffering fans, a similar tale emerged in the second 40 minutes as Ulster got to grips with Leicester’s forwards and forged the win they needed to progress to the knock-out stages with tries from prop Marty Moore and wing Robert Baloucoune.

Leicester head coach Geordan Murphy said he was “devastated” by his side’s latest loss and their failure to qualify for the knock out stages of a competition they once dominated.

He will now lose six of his squad, including Cole, for the duration of the Six Nations, as they seek to salvage a season which has once again born no European fruit and sees them face Saracens, Worcester and Wasps in the Premiership during the Six Nations.

Currently lying seventh with just five wins from 12 matches, what they would do for Cole’s reassuring presence as they battle for the top four finish the club’s business model depends on.

But it will not be. Cole, along with Ben Youngs, George Ford, Ellis Genge, Manu Tuilagi and Jonny May, are unlikely to be seen around Welford Road in the next couple of months and it will be left to Leicester’s lesser lights to salvage their season.

Cole, on current form, deserves an even greater platform. In less than two weeks in Dublin, he may just get it.