Franks brothers united in All Blacks

IAIN McGREGOR/The Press

BIG BROTHER: Ben Franks, offloading in a tackle against the Brumbies, has joined younger sibling Owen in the All Blacks.

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It took an extra long surgical screw to accelerate Ben Franks' chances of joining younger brother Owen in the All Blacks.

An All Blacks tourist in 2008, Ben, who made one appearance against Munster, hoped to continue his international career last year before a foot injury destroyed those hopes.

Having fractured the fifth metatarsal bone in his left foot, Franks was forced to cut short his campaign with the Crusaders and have a screw inserted.

But following a lengthy break, and just five starts for Tasman, he had to return to the surgeon's slab to have a longer screw inserted to correct the painful injury that failed to heal properly.

"I had such big goals after making the All Blacks in 2008, so I just tried to push through with it, but it didn't work out the way I thought it would," Franks, 26, said yesterday after joining Owen, 22, in Graham Henry's squad.

"Last year I was just injured the whole year – it was frustrating watching rugby.

"This year I have just enjoyed being back training, playing and being part of the team."

Ben, who can play both sides of the scrum and was preferred ahead of John Afoa as the fourth prop, could only lament his missed opportunities while Owen went on to play nine tests last season.

"The foot has been fine, I have not had any problems with it.

"I had an extended pre-season training this year and straight after surgery I had a bit longer for the foot to heal and strengthen. Hopefully, it will not be a problem again."

The Franks brothers join loosehead specialist Tony Woodcock and Neemia Tiatala, who can play both sides, as the All Blacks props with Wyatt Crockett likely to be called up if Woodcock is injured.

Before yesterday's announcement, the brothers spent the morning cleaning their gym before going their separate ways and last night were planning to celebrate by going out for a meal with family and their partners.

They are the first set of brothers to be named in the All Blacks since Aaron and Nathan Mauger were selected by John Mitchell in 2001.

For Ben, however, the prospect of joining his younger sibling in the All Blacks was not a major motivation: "I don't think either of us set goals for the two of us to be in the team together. Dad might have joked a bit about it, having both sons in the team together.

"It is just a unique thing – having two brothers that have made it through hard work, I suppose.

"I have said it heaps of times that we are each others training partners and it is good to see we have got the reward for some hard work."

- © Fairfax NZ News