A tooling head for bi-directional tire cord application to an annular surface reciprocates in a forward and a reverse direction across the annular surface. The tooling head includes a housing; a nose block assembly coupled to the housing and reciprocating in an axial direction relative to the tooling head housing; a pair of cord engaging rollers mounted to a remote end of the nose block assembly and moving therewith in a forward and a reverse direction across the annular surface, the rollers positioning at least one cord against the annular surface in the forward and reverse directions; and a biasing element engaging against the nose block assembly for alternatively biasing the rollers against the annular surface.