All Blacks: Franks brothers ready for action

Ben (L) and Owen Franks. Photo / Greg Bowker

Ben and Owen Franks could become the first brothers to play an All Blacks rugby test for 13 years as the selectors prepare to spring some surprises tomorrow.

The Crusaders props and young Highlanders fullback Israel Dagg, likely to step into the run-on side for the injured Mils Muliaina, were the major talking points today after the All Blacks' first training run for Saturday's season-opening test against Ireland here.

It means potentially five test debutants, with Ben Franks, Dagg and second five-eighth Benson Stanley in the starting lineup and Sam Whitelock and Aaron Cruden on the bench.

On evidence of training at Yarrow Stadium, the Franks brothers could be preferred to incumbent props Tony Woodcock and Neemia Tialata after strong seasons for the Crusaders.

Not since Zinzan and Robin Brooke played the 26-26 draw against England at Twickenham in 1997 has a set of brothers donned the black jersey in a test.

For loosehead Ben Franks, 26, his solitary All Blacks match was against Munster at Limerick in 2008, while tighthead Owen, 22, has nine tests to his name and impressed on last year's tour of Europe.

The Crusaders had the best scrum of the New Zealand Super 14 sides and assistant All Blacks coach Wayne Smith hinted that may have earned the pair the nod.

"Super 14 gives those guys an opportunity at quite a high level and we're finding more and more that they can come into the environment and contribute more. A lot of that excitement rubs off onto others," Smith said.

Of the Franks brothers, Smith said: "It didn't take too much to get them excited either. Just a sniff of contact and you've pretty well got them."

All Blacks No 8 Kieran Read said his Crusaders teammates had made "immense" progress and the tight-knit brothers would make a worthy test duo.

"They've always been real physical guys and they bring a lot of that to the game. They mix that with a bit of skill and they're pretty devastating in the scrums so it's awesome to have them," Read said.

Dagg meanwhile may have snared the fullback's jersey, with Cory Jane expected to continue on the right wing and Joe Rokocoko completing his comeback by wearing No 11 ahead of Zac Guildford.

Dagg, who turned 22 yesterday, had an excellent Super 14 in a struggling side and the former New Zealand sevens and under-19 player had finally got his fitness right.

"He's played a lot at Super 14 level and I think he's ready. He's another who seems pretty comfortable," Smith said.

"We've had our eye on him for a couple of years. We had to do a bit of work on him last year with regard to his conditioning and physical fitness.

"(Sevens coach) Gordon Tietjens helped quite a bit with the sevens. He's been a bit of a project and he's done everything we've asked and he's come through."

The All Blacks trained strongly in a physical, opposed session today with the emphasis on defence and counter-attack. Smith said there was an excitement around the camp, with a minor concern that most All Blacks hadn't played top-level rugby for nearly four weeks.

"I think the new law interpretations will suit us. It suits the game we were trying to play last year," Smith said.

"Our expectations are high, as a team, that we will hit the track running this year. We know it's going to take a while to hit the heights that we hit later on in the tour (against France), but that's our aim."

Muliaina (calf), midfielder Richard Kahui (chest) and lock Tom Donnelly (ankle) all trained today but were unlikely to be included. Muliaina and Kahui will hopefully play Waikato club rugby on Saturday to test their fitness for the Wales test in Dunedin on June 19.

Outside backs Ben Smith and Rene Ranger also trained but will likely join the New Zealand Barbarians in Whangarei tomorrow while Whitelock will remain and likely earn a bench spot.

Likely starting 15: Israel Dagg, Cory Jane, Conrad Smith, Benson Stanley, Joe Rokocoko, Dan Carter, Jimmy Cowan, Kieran Read, Richie McCaw (captain), Jerome Kaino, Anthony Boric, Brad Thorn, Owen Franks, Keven Mealamu, Ben Franks.

- NZPA