Franks fights for World Cup berth
It seems cruel to talk about Owen Franks in the past tense. But it’s time to get real. There were always going to be casualties after the Wallabies thumped the All Blacks 47-26 in Bledisloe Cup I in Perth last weekend.
It was just a question of how ruthless All Blacks coach Steve Hansen was prepared to be ahead of Bledisloe II in Auckland tomorrow night.
Well, now we know. Hansen has moved swiftly after the debacle at Optus Stadium, hacking away at the team sheet like a headstrong surgeon who knows he has to act fast and decisively.
At a time like this, with the Bledisloe Cup on the line, a 25-year unbeaten streak at Eden Park in jeopardy and the World Cup on the horizon, it could be fatal to dither.
Or, for that matter, to be sentimental.
Tighthead prop Franks, one of our greatest front-rowers with 108 test caps, has not been spared. The axe has fallen.
Not just chopped from the starting team, but the match-day 23. Nepo Laulala will start at tighthead, with Angus Ta’avao on the bench where he will, presumably, be told to take the field in the final 30 minutes.
This omission will really sting Franks.
But after the defeat in Perth it was becoming clear that the days of him being considered an automatic selection were coming to a close.
His name used to be automatically inserted alongside No 3 on the team sheet. No questions asked.
In recent weeks it has been replaced by a question mark.
Props are usually considered to be in their prime at 31.
But it should be remembered Franks has clocked up huge miles during his career; he made his test debut against Italy in Christchurch a decade ago, convincing the All Blacks selectors they had unearthed a gold nugget.
Despite his youth Franks had been tagged as an excellent scrummager, who was also willing to smash opponents in tackles and at the breakdowns.
His CV is loaded with highlights. The World Cup victories in 2011 and 2015 are at the top of the order, along with repeat sets of Bledisloe Cup victories and Rugby Championship and Super Rugby titles.
In recent seasons his body has reacted to the relentless pounding it has received.
He required surgery to fix a painful Achilles tendon problem in 2017, forcing him to miss the northern tour, and this year had stem-cell therapy on an injured shoulder.
Franks could never be accused of being a slacker.
Strength and conditioning coaches must treat themselves another chocolate fish whenever they see him pounding weights in the gym, knowing he also takes care of himself; Franks isn’t a big drinker, and will rehab his aching body at home after games.
It’s difficult not to have sympathy for him in the wake of the All Blacks’ meltdown in Perth because during the 50 minutes he spent on the park the Wallabies had a mountain of possession.
Franks had few opportunities to carry because the All Blacks just couldn’t get their hands on the ball.
But this All Blacks team wants to play at a great speed at the World Cup in Japan. Hansen had made it clear he wants his frontrowers to be at peak fitness, no doubt hoping his team can tap into its athleticism and pace to destroy opponents in the final minutes of close contests.
Six props are in the current squad: Joe Moody, Atu Moli, Angus Ta’avao, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Laulala and Franks.
Only five will be picked for the World Cup. For the first time in his test career Franks is fighting for survival.