More to come from Coles as he looks to continue his impressive Saints development

The England forward scored his side's two tries on the day, doing everything he could to keep their Investec Champions Cup dream alive at the raucous Principality Stadium.

In the end, it wasn't to be enough as first-half injuries to James Ramm, George Furbank and Temo Mayanavanua left Saints underpowered in the second period.

Union Bordeaux Bègles prevailed, claiming a 28-20 victory and their first Champions Cup crown.

But despite the defeat, the stock of Coles had gone through the roof.

He capped an incredible end to the season with a performance that will live long in the memory, reaching heights that he will hope to replicate, and perhaps even better, this season.

The man who turned 26 last month has now more than come of age for club and country, helping England to claim Test wins on their summer tour of Argentina and the USA.

But the ever-studious Coles insists he still has plenty more to improving to do in the months and years to come.

"I hope there's a lot more to come," Coles said.

"It's nice to think development is going to be linear and everything's just going to get better year on year, but that's not quite the way it's gone.

"I've learned there are roadblocks along the way but I still feel like there's a lot of development left in my game and physically I can develop more.

"I've obviously been working really hard on the mental side of the game as well so hopefully there's a lot more to come, but we'll see."

So what has been key to Coles' development in recent years?

"I feel like from my own personal point of view, I've learned a lot and matured a lot, particularly in my mindset around the game," he said.

"I'm much more consistent in terms of my headspace and mentality going into a game.

"I've learned some good tips about how to make sure you're on it in every training session and every game.

"Particularly going into that England environment, you see some of those operators at the top level and you take things from them about how they're able to turn up with that same level of intensity every day.

"I've tried to be really purposeful about my learning on the mental side of the game and I think that's paying some dividends now in terms of being able to build yourself up week in, week out in what can be a quite attritional season."

Reflecting on his Champions Cup heroics at the end of last season, Coles said: "I absolutely loved that occasion.

"Going into that game, I was aware it might be the only chance I get to play in that final and I obviously want to go to as many as I can, but you've got to try to seize that opportunity while it's there.

"I had a bit of a disrupted build-up with my knee so I hadn't really trained much with the team at all, but I just wanted to get out there and get after it with the lads.

"We had a few things go against us in that game in terms of injuries in the back three, which made it hard, but as much as that result hurts, I do look back proudly on that game.

"I think we fought so hard as a team, the occasion was amazing.

"I remember driving into the stadium and seeing a sea of Saints fans, and all the Bordeaux fans as well.

"It's a game that's going to live long in my memory despite the result.

"It was a bit of a mixed bag but certainly memorable."

Coles' sights are now set on making more special memories in the season ahead.

Next up for him and Saints is a Gallagher PREM trip to Gloucester.

And playing at Kingsholm is something that excites Coles.

"I love it," he said.

"I'm not sure in general about the 4G surfaces, but theirs is alright.

"The atmosphere is always really quite feisty and I quite like that because it brings the best out of people.

"I'm looking forward to getting another strong atmosphere to help drive some of that energy and emotion that you need in a rugby game."

Saints only won one league match on the road last season, but they did beat the likes of Vodacom Bulls and Leinster away from home in the Champions Cup.

"We've had a real look at the games we did well in and the games we didn't do so well in away from home and we've taken the lessons from that because it is a very different feel," Coles said.

"You often don't get the rub of the green and you can sometimes feel like your back's against the wall away from home so you've got to get used to living in that hostile environment, thriving in it, enjoying it and enjoying trying to make an upset and be the underdogs."