All Blacks: Franks hard at work on extra skills

Rene Ranger and Owen Franks during an All Blacks training session in Sydney. Photo / Getty Images

SYDNEY - When Owen Franks missed the All Black selection cut for their last test in Soweto, he was a person to avoid.

For a little while anyway as the tighthead prop worked through the rationale about missing another duel with the Boks.

When Franks stopped stewing, he worked even harder on the fitness and extra skills he wants to add to his game.

He played for Canterbury last week and will be let off the leash this weekend in Sydney against the Wallabies.

"He just wants to play," assistant coach Wayne Smith agrees.

"In South Africa he was like a bear with a sore head but that's okay. There has got to be a bit of give and take. Once he got over it he worked on his game."

Those differences were already showing through. Franks has always been a man on a mission about his rugby. "But sometimes he tends to bust his boiler," Smith said. "He needs to temper his exuberance, and he would say that as well."

Franks loved the physical elements in rugby, all the contact and aggression, and was someone who loved trying to physically dominate his rivals.

That was a great attribute but he also needed to learn other skills to be a more complete all-round player. He was working on his defensive style and running lines while also fine-tuning his lifting technique in the lineouts.

It was all about being more composed, doing his homework and staying calm under pressure.

"He is a young man, just 22, and learning that side of the game whereas all his life he has been a scrummager who just wants to hurt people."

Meanwhile Smith has been in regular touch with family and friends in Christchurch. He contacts his wife at least twice a day.

He said his family home had some damage but nothing like that which condemned the house of assistant coach Steve Hansen.