Coles missed all of Super Rugby in 2018 due to his ACL injury. Coles was expected to be back in time for the playoffs but was physically unable to run until June. England international, Brad Shields, captained the Hurricanes in 2018, in Coles' absence. After finally recovering from injury at the back-end of the 2018 Mitre 10 Cup, Coles, as well as his teammate Nepo Laulala were both recalled for New Zealand after a long injury-enforced absence. Coles played four tests for New Zealand on the end-of-year tour, but having been surpassed as the first-choice hooker by Codie Taylor, was benched for the All Blacks against England and Ireland.
