Franks' put stamp on All Blacks
Brothers in the All Blacks are not unusual, names like Clarke, Going and Whetton spring to mind easily, but brothers in the front row – that's a different story.
Ben and Owen Franks, products of Motueka better known for its contribution of tobacco, soldier W.B. 'Sandy' Thomas and rugby administrator Peter Wild, are the thick-set duo with the capability of being involved in All Blacks rugby for many years to come.
Each has prop written all over him and each comes into top-flight rugby with the burden of shouldering the next generation of All Blacks' scrummagers.
Ben, the older, had the first taste of international play on the 2008 Grand Slam tour of Britain, but then missed much of last year with injury. But he put that time away to good time to work on areas of his game that needed attention.
"I wanted to get things right so this season could go smoothly, and it pretty much has. I got through the Super 14 uninjured and that was my big goal. I felt if I could remain healthy and stay on the field I would give myself a good shot to make this side [the All Blacks]," he said.
"If you have a bit of time off you have got to think of things you could improve on," he said.
There was also time to get into the gym to put in work on building up size and strength he had always wanted but hadn't had the time to commit to.
"I looked at my game and concentrating a bit more on playing both sides, especially putting a bit more into my loose head. I slowly got better as the season went on. It just gave me a bit of a running start into the season," he said.
Three years younger, tightead specialist Owen Franks recalled being a bit of a 'scaredy-cat' when playing backyard games with his brother, but he had always represented something of a goalsetter for him to aim at.
While they typified the backyard rugby of most households in New Zealand, Owen said the victories tended to go with his older brother but it was always nice to get the occasional victory over him.
All Blacks Greg Somerville and Mark 'Bull' Allen had been inspirations for him in the propping craft but others who could scrum well and do all the basics around the park had been important.
He also worked closely with Linwood Rugby Club coach Scott Hansen and talked with him at least once a week to talk about things that he needed to work on.
An early lesson from his brief international experience was to use the people around him, to discuss matters and situations to put to his advantage.
He was happy with the way his play improved during the Super 14, having started with some early niggles but getting over them and gaining momentum as the season developed.
He was conscious of the talk about a possible return to the All Blacks by tighthead supremo Carl Hayman but now that had been ruled out he was confident he could do the job, and it was his goal to do it as well as Hayman, who is now regarded as the best tighthead in the world.
"When I heard he wasn't coming back I felt it was a really cool challenge to try and fill his shoes," he said.
The World Cup was an exciting prospect and he admitted 16 months out that he had day-dreamed more than once what it might be like to hold the Webb Ellis Cup aloft.
"It's going to be so awesome having the World Cup at home I think everyone is going to be real excited," he said.