Dane Coles reckons his new status as Hurricanes captain is proof that sport can transform a troubled character.
All Blacks hooker Coles will replace Conrad Smith as skipper of Super Rugby's nearly team, with TJ Perenara their new vice-captain.
Coach Chris Boyd says the pair are both potentially long-term leaders of the only New Zealand side yet to win a title, a drought they came painfully close to ending this year after hosting the final.
For 28-year-old Coles, selection in the All Blacks was a first step in moving on from a troubled period of his life when he had several brushes with the law.
It goes to another level now he's been handed leadership responsibilities, helping to revoke a past which includes convictions for fighting in public and drunk driving.
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