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Hurricanes confirm signing of former All Blacks prop Owen Franks
The Hurricanes have pulled off a major coup by signing former All Blacks prop Owen Franks on a two-year deal.
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Currently with the Northampton Saints in England, Franks will return to New Zealand for the first time since 2019 to compete in the new-look Super Rugby competition for the Wellington-based franchise in 2022 and 2023.
A veteran of 108 tests and a key member of the 2011 and 2015 World Cup-winning All Blacks teams, the 33-year-old tighthead prop’s international career was seemingly cut short when he was a surprisingly excluded from the 2019 World Cup squad.
His return to New Zealand could spark a return to the test arena, though, as he joins a youthful Hurricanes forward pack that has historically lacked a steely tight five.
The acquisition of Franks, considered one of the best props of all-time who is renowned for his scrummaging and powerful defending, could go some way to resolving that issue.
Having played 150 times for the Crusaders between 2009 and 2019, Franks also brings with him three Super Rugby titles worth of experience to Sky Stadium, something Hurricanes head coach Jason Holland is excited about.
“His record speaks for itself and what he has been able to achieve is a measure of his quality and professionalism,” Holland said in a statement.
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“Owen’s experience will be invaluable, not just for the younger players in our squad but our group as a whole.”
Franks added he is looking forward to a Kiwi homecoming after being forced to endure a tumultuous period in the United Kingdom as a result of COVID-19.
“I’m excited to be getting back into Super Rugby next year with the Hurricanes after time in the UK,” Franks, who has played 24 times for Northampton, said.
“My family and I are looking forward to a new challenge and being back in New Zealand and closer to friends and family is also important. I am very motivated to play at the highest level again and I am looking forward to working with the Hurricanes players and coaching teams and pushing for success in 2022 and 2023.”
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By moving to the New Zealand capital, Franks follows in the footsteps of his older brother Ben, a former Hurricanes prop who also played for the Crusaders, Saints and All Blacks.
Last week Caleb Clarke announced his plans to link up with the All Blacks Sevens squad in the hopes of chasing gold at the re-scheduled Tokyo Olympics this July.
Who, in Clarke’s absence, will take over the All Blacks’ No 11 jersey? #AllBlacks https://t.co/RC0LH7AyGj
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 14, 2021
Crusaders head coach Scott Robertson said earlier this week that while he was keen to have Franks back at the Christchurch-based club, they didn’t have the space on their roster to facilitate such a move.
“If we had space and it had worked out, we’d have loved to have Owie back. He’s been great to us for a long period of time, but it’s a professional sport and the timing didn’t quite work,” Robertson said.
“We went through the process. They have to obviously come home first. But with our contracting, he still had a year on his contract with Northampton so we weren’t expecting it at all and we had a full roster.
“It’s a professional game, and that’s where the opportunity was. We appreciate that he’s made that decision and it’s best for him and his family.”
Franks will compete with six-test All Blacks prop Tyrel Lomax for a place in the Hurricanes’ No 3 jersey over the next two seasons and is expected to act as a mentor for rising stars such as Xavier Numia and Alex Fidow.
He will also join a front row that will be led by his former All Blacks teammate Dane Coles, who last month signed a contract extension to keep him at the Hurricanes for the next two years.
The news comes in the wake of confirmation that the Hurricanes have lured former All Blacks lock Dominic Bird back to New Zealand from France, where he had been playing for glamour club Racing 92.
The arrival of Franks and Bird, as well as the recently-confirmed retention of All Blacks star TJ Perenara, should help alleviate the loss of barnstorming midfielder Ngani Laumape, who will leave the Hurricanes to join Top 14 side Stade Francais in July.
Capping off a busy period of player movements, the Hurricanes also announced on Thursday that highly-promising first-five Aidan Morgan, who was recently named in the New Zealand U20 squad, has signed a three-year deal with the franchise.
Comments on RugbyPass
“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
3 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
2 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
3 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
3 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
3 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
4 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to comments