Owen Franks told to keep lid on aggression

CARYS MONTEATH/The Press

BETTER DECISIONS: Owen Franks finds himself at the bottom of a ruck at training.

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Bulldozing opponents will always be a major priority, but Owen Franks aims to be more circumspect before zeroing in on his targets this season.

The Crusaders tighthead prop is vowing to think first before ramming his 118kg frame into rucks against the Blues at AMI Stadium tonight and admits his desire to shift bodies at the breakdown cannot be at the expense of his defensive duties.

The 22-year-old was relegated to the bench following the Crusaders' 41-20 second-round loss to the Reds in Brisbane on February 19, a match in which he also copped a yellow card for slowing ruck ball down, but has been recalled to the starting side following the knee injury to big brother Ben.

He has been instructed not let his eagerness to hit rucks cloud his judgment.

"Basically it was just about thinking a little bit more and probably getting used to the tackled laws a little more," Franks said. "I probably can't just throw myself in there [into rucks]. I have got to make better decisions."

Twelve months ago Franks was relatively unknown outside Canterbury.That changed when he began getting game time in the Super 14 and won his first cap for the All Blacks against Italy in Christchurch.

There were also signs that, despite his age, he was going to pack some clout – literally – on the international stage.

Within minutes of taking the field as a substitute in the tense Bledisloe Cup opener at Eden Park last year he was fortunate to only be penalised for getting involved in a scuffle between Ma'a Nonu and Drew Mitchell, and against France on last year's end of season tour he was yellow-carded for a shoulder charge into a ruck.

Franks, however, rejects any suggestion he has a short fuse.

"I'm not a hothead. I definitely get excited when I see contact and I sort of seek it. It's just a bit more awareness, I think.

"It's early in the season and I am just starting to read the game and get into the groove."

Although he states there will be no red mists clouding his sight as he searches for collisions, Franks is not prepared to blunt his aggressive streak: "I definitely don't want to change my game at all. I just have to choose when the best time is to be destructive and the best time to maybe look up and get into the D-line."

One of the keenest observers of the clash between Franks and Blues loosehead Tony Woodcock will be All Blacks scrum surgeon Mike Cron.

Slow early season form resulted in Woodcock being benched for last weekend's match against the Queensland Reds, although he showed enough fizz when he took the field to earn a recall by coach Pat Lam.

"I'm not really surprised," Franks said as he reflected on Woodcock's selection. "He's a pretty good scrummager and you can't knock a guy that has played over 50 tests for the All Blacks ... No matter how his form is, he is still going to be a pretty awesome player. It doesn't really bother me. I have got to do my job."

- © Fairfax NZ News