‘Frank The Tank’ one year on from SVNS debut: ‘I’m here to do my job’

Frank Vaenuku admits he was lost for words when he debuted for the All Blacks Sevens at the Perth Sevens last year.

A struggling New Zealand team finished ninth with two wins against Kenya and a 42-5 thrashing of a poor Ireland, their worst return in Australian Sevens history.

A year later, the All Blacks Sevens are much sturdier. A cup win in Dubai was followed by a strong recovery on Day 2 in Cape Town to finish fifth. In Singapore last weekend, the All Blacks Sevens finished third, losing to eventual champions Fiji in the semi-finals after leading 14-0.

Vaenuku has added distinct power to the All Blacks Sevens, so much so that his nickname “Frank The Tank” echoes around the world in television commentary.

“I’d never give myself my nickname,” Vaenuku responded when asked about the origins of “Frank the Tank.”

“It’s nothing too big. I’m here to do my job.

“The name is from Rico Simpson’s dad, Shaun. He was calling me that in the New Zealand Under-20s.”

There’s a nice irony that Rico Simpson, renowned for his finesse, is in a small way connected to Vaenuku’s totally opposing title. Vaenuku played 10 matches and scored 5 tries for the New Zealand Under-20s, attending the 2024 and 2025 World Rugby Junior Championships.

With the All Blacks Sevens, he’s played eight tournaments and scored 13 tries. In Singapore, he scored a vital try in a 26-20 group win against Argentina. Trailing 10-0, 15-14, and 20-19, the All Blacks Sevens found a way to prevail against the defending league champions, with 19-year-old Kele Lasaqa scoring a 60 metre breakout on the hooter.

After halftime, Vaenuku made a stampeding run that ended just short of the try line. The All Blacks Sevens then came under pressure after some loose passes. Akuila Rokolisoa straightened the attack and threw a long pass to Vaenuku, who acrobatically avoided World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year Luciano Gonzalez and finished in the corner. The same pair combined to strike first against Fiji in the semi-final.

“We’re working hard all the time. Pre-season was great. We could have won it, but little errors at crucial moments hurt us,” Vaenuku said.

When the All Blacks Sevens won the Cup title in Dubai for the first time since 2018, Vaenuku blasted through Spain, a country New Zealand struggled to beat last season, with two tries in a 24-7 pool win. His robust running caused problems for Fiji (24-21) and Australia (29-14) in the finals. All Blacks Sevens coach Tomasi Cama is pleased with Vaenuku’s development, saying in the pre-season.

“Frank is a big and powerful young man who gives us real punch on the edge and works hard. He has a bright future.”

Remarkably, Vaenuku didn’t play rugby until he was 15 at De La Salle College in Mangere, South Auckland. Mum was worried about “beefy kids” but with seven siblings, tensions were never far from bubbling to the surface at home. Restless Frank was finally unleashed. Could the whole family be a Sevens team?

“My sister is one, two this year,” Vaenuku lauaged.

DeDe La Salle College could almost comprise the whole All Blacks Sevens. The Vai brothers and Sofai Notoa-Tipo also attended De La Salle. All Black and Chiefs powerhouse Wallace Sititi wouldn’t be a bad Sevens player either.

“De La Salle is pretty humble. Lots of hard work and talent,” Vaenuku said.

In Perth, the All Blacks Sevens are grouped with Australia, whom they have an 86-19 record against; Great Britain, whom they’ve beaten 11 times in 13 games; and France, whom they lost to in Singapore but have beaten 68 times in 77 matches.