Franks: ‘I’m not owed jersey’

All Black Owen Franks has expressed no bitterness at his surprise omission from the Rugby World Cup squad, saying he has had a good run and is not owed a place in the team.

The 108-test veteran was told he would not be part of the 31-man All Blacks squad for the Japan tournament.

“I’m disappointed,” Franks told MediaWorks. “But I’m well aware as a professional athlete, and especially an All Black, that your time in the jersey isn’t owed.”

He added: “I really can’t sit here and complain. I’ve been to two World Cups and been lucky enough to win two medals.”

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said it was a difficult phone call to Franks but the experienced prop handled it well, which he said was a mark of the man.

Franks, 31, said the conversation with Hansen was brief, “but I don’t have long conversations with a lot of people”.

He now planned to play for Canterbury in the NPC before joining English club Northampton after the World Cup. He would be watching the tournament from home, he said.

“I want nothing more than to see those guys lift that trophy.”

All Blacks selector Grant Fox told MediaWorks he wanted Franks to stay fit.

“I’m just not sure if we’ve seen the last of Owen Franks in a Rugby World Cup or a black jersey.

‘‘Because at the last World Cup we had a couple of props get injured.”

At a press conference following the announcement of the squad, Hansen described Franks as one of the great All Blacks.

“He’s certainly shown true character. His professionalism on and off the field has been magnificent over the years, he’s played over 100 tests.

“Unfortunately, we as the three selectors, we believe the game requires us to have big, mobile No 1s and No 3s [props] and in this case we just think the other guys that we’ve named are more so than he and therefore we had to make a tough decision.”

Ofa Tu’ungafasi and Angus Ta’avao, in particular, showed their ability to run the football throughout the Super Rugby season, with Tu’ungafasi taking the most runs of any tighthead prop in the comp.

Tu’ungafasi, Ta’avao and Atu Moli can play both sides of the scrum, while Joe Moody and Nepo Laulala are likely to draw starting roles at loosehead and tighthead.

Franks is the seventh most-capped All Black, but has the unusual record of never scoring a test try.