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Former Maori All Blacks lock signs on with Australian Super Rugby club
After helping Taranaki with New Zealand’s NPC title last year, former Maori All Blacks lock Tom Franklin has signed with the Western Force ahead of the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season.
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Franklin, who represented the Maori All Blacks nine times from 2014 to 2019, brings 85 games of Super Rugby experience with him out west – including a title with the Highlanders in 2015.
The Opotiki-born second rower has also plied his trade overseas with Kobelco Steelers in Japan. During that stint in the famed red jersey, Franklin had a conversation with Force coach Simon Cron.
Franklin adds more depth and experience to an already impressive list of names at lock. Former Wallaby Izack Rodda, Jeremy Williams, Felix Kalapu and Lopeti Faifua are also options in the second row.
Head-to-Head
Last 4 Meetings
Wins
1
Draws
0
Wins
3
Average Points scored
22
39
First try wins
75%
Home team wins
75%
With the Force announcing the signing of Franklin on Thursday, coach Simon Cron spoke about the value of adding someone of the New Zealander’s calibre to the squad.
“An area that we’ve been light on has been lock, so we’ve been looking for somebody who can add value to the team straight away,” Cron said in a statement.
“Tom has knowledge around lineouts, skills around the park and most recently he was in the winning Taranaki team at NPC level. Talking to his forwards coach, he was a big part of that.
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“I coached against Tom when he was at the Highlanders and he was one of the best defensive lineout readers that we’ coach against. I was lucky to chat to him in Japan when he was playing for Kobe and you could see what he adds.
“With the age of our tight-five forwards we needed somebody who was a bit more experienced. Tom brings a high-skill, high-pace game with a good rugby brain and good knowledge. He’s also an awesome person who’ll help bring through a lot of our guys and play at the highest level still.”
Franklin flew into Perth during the Christmas leave period and has now resumed training alongside his new teammates.
Nic White, Ben Donaldson and Harry Potter are among the other marquee additions to the Force’s roster ahead of their quest for a finals berth in 2024.
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“I’m really happy to move to Perth and join the Force,” Franklin said.
“I had a good chat to Crono and the coaches which excited me about the move, and I heard good things from ex-players like Marcel Brache who spoke about how the club is growing.
“I’m really excited about the opportunity to be part of something with high aspirations and to go to the next level. I’m excited to be part of that and excited to be back in Super Rugby and take on the challenge.”
The Western Force will kick off their 2024 Super Rugby Pacific campaign at home to the Hurricanes on February 23.
Comments on RugbyPass
Yes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
38 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
2 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
34 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
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