Ben Franks
Encyclopedia
Ben Franks is a rugby union
player for the Crusaders in the Super Rugby competition and All Blacks
. He plays as a prop.
against Otago
in 2005. He has since played for both Canterbury
and the Tasman Makos
in the Air New Zealand Cup
, securing 42 caps (16 for Canterbury, 26 for Tasman).
in 2006. He currently has 35 appearances (at the end of the 2009 season).
Ben is the older brother of Owen
also an All Black prop, and both represent the Linwood Rugby club in Christchurch. Both brothers were selected for the 2010 All Blacks squad to face Ireland and Wales in the home series thus being the first brothers to represent New Zealand since Robin
and Zinzan Brooke
.
end of year tour squad to travel to Hong Kong
, England
, Ireland
, Scotland
and Wales
. He became Aranui High School's first ever All Black when he played against Munster
at Thomond Park
.
against Ireland. The All Black's won by a triumphant 66-28 and Franks got his first ever try for the All Blacks. He also played a week later in the All Black's defeat of Wales in Dunedin
.
His test performance won him a spot in the All Black's line up to face South Africa in the first match of the 2010 Tri-Nations tournament
. He played again against South Africa a week later and twice against Australia in the following weeks. He played the penultimate match against South Africa but was left out of the team for the final match against Australia and his place taken by his brother Owen
.
. He played in the penultimate loss to South Afirca and was subsequently replaced by brother Owen once again.
Franks came on as a sub during the opening match of the 2011 Rugby World Cup
.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player for the Crusaders in the Super Rugby competition and All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
. He plays as a prop.
Provincial
Franks made his provincial debut for CanterburyCanterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
against Otago
Otago
Otago is a region of New Zealand in the south of the South Island. The region covers an area of approximately making it the country's second largest region. The population of Otago is...
in 2005. He has since played for both Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
and the Tasman Makos
Tasman Rugby Union
The Tasman Rugby Union is the governing body for rugby union at the top of the South Island in New Zealand. It is New Zealand's newest provincial union, founded in 2006 with the amalgamation of the existing Marlborough and Nelson Bays sub unions...
in the Air New Zealand Cup
Air New Zealand Cup
The ITM Cup is New Zealand's annual professional domestic Rugby union competition, taking place from late July through October . It was founded in 2006 with 14 teams, after the National Provincial Championship was split into two separate competitions. The other 12 provincial teams from the NPC...
, securing 42 caps (16 for Canterbury, 26 for Tasman).
Super Rugby
He plays for the Crusaders in the elite Super 15 competition, making his debut against the ChiefsChiefs (Super rugby franchise)
The Chiefs are a professional Rugby union team based in Hamilton, New Zealand. Their home ground is Waikato Stadium. The Chiefs play in black, red and yellow coloured jerseys...
in 2006. He currently has 35 appearances (at the end of the 2009 season).
Ben is the older brother of Owen
Owen Franks
Owen Franks is a New Zealand rugby player who plays for the Crusaders in the Super Rugby competition and the All Blacks at international level.-Early Career:He attended Christchurch Boys' High School. His local rugby club is Linwood...
also an All Black prop, and both represent the Linwood Rugby club in Christchurch. Both brothers were selected for the 2010 All Blacks squad to face Ireland and Wales in the home series thus being the first brothers to represent New Zealand since Robin
Robin Brooke
Robin Matthew Brooke is a former New Zealand rugby player. He played for the All Blacks n the 1990s, playing many tests alongside younger brother Zinzan Brooke...
and Zinzan Brooke
Zinzan Brooke
Zinzan Valentine Brooke is a former New Zealand rugby union footballer who played at number eight...
.
2008
On 26 October 2008, Franks was selected for the All BlacksAll Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
end of year tour squad to travel to Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. He became Aranui High School's first ever All Black when he played against Munster
Munster Rugby
Munster Rugby is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Munster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and Heineken Cup.The team represents the Irish Rugby Football Union Munster Branch which is one of four primary branches of the IRFU, and is responsible for rugby union in the Irish...
at Thomond Park
Thomond Park
Thomond Park is a stadium located in Limerick in the Irish province of Munster. The stadium is owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union and count Munster Rugby, Shannon RFC and UL Bohemian RFC as tenants. The capacity of the stadium is 26,500 following its large scale redevelopment in...
.
2009
He started the first match of the Pacific Nations Cup against Samoa in June 2009 with a close victory, winning 17-16. He then played the final match of the tournament against Tonga, but did not score a point even though New Zealand won 47-25.2010
Franks played his first match of 2010 in a test match at Yarrow StadiumYarrow Stadium
Yarrow Stadium is situated in the central suburb of Westown in New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand, with main vehicle access off Maratahu St...
against Ireland. The All Black's won by a triumphant 66-28 and Franks got his first ever try for the All Blacks. He also played a week later in the All Black's defeat of Wales in Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
.
His test performance won him a spot in the All Black's line up to face South Africa in the first match of the 2010 Tri-Nations tournament
2010 Tri Nations Series
The 2010 Tri Nations Series is the fifteenth annual Tri Nations rugby union series between the national rugby union teams of New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, respectively nicknamed the All Blacks, Wallabies, and Springboks...
. He played again against South Africa a week later and twice against Australia in the following weeks. He played the penultimate match against South Africa but was left out of the team for the final match against Australia and his place taken by his brother Owen
Owen Franks
Owen Franks is a New Zealand rugby player who plays for the Crusaders in the Super Rugby competition and the All Blacks at international level.-Early Career:He attended Christchurch Boys' High School. His local rugby club is Linwood...
.
2011
He started of 2011 with a friendly against Fiji followed by wins over South Africa and Australia in the 2011 Tri-Nations tournament2011 Tri Nations Series
The 2011 Tri Nations Series was the sixteenth annual Tri Nations rugby union series between the national rugby union teams of New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, respectively nicknamed the All Blacks, Wallabies, and Springboks. It was also the last series in which only three teams...
. He played in the penultimate loss to South Afirca and was subsequently replaced by brother Owen once again.
Franks came on as a sub during the opening match of the 2011 Rugby World Cup
2011 Rugby World Cup
The 2011 Rugby World Cup was the seventh Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. The International Rugby Board selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japan and South Africa at a meeting in Dublin on 17 November 2005...
.