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LIMERICK - The rugby tutors at Christchurch Boys' High know a classy first five-eighth when they see one.
But New Zealand's second most prolific finishing school for future All Blacks let an international prop slip through their fingers.
CBHS have fashioned an impeccable recent record in identifying talented inside backs - Andrew Mehrtens, Aaron Mauger and Daniel Carter have all been groomed for greatness on the school's fields.
Stephen Brett was also considered an All Black in waiting until injury disrupted his season - so another CBHS old boy Colin Slade emerged to guide Canterbury to the provincial championship last month.
CBHS trail only Auckland Grammar in terms of producing New Zealand test players. Grammar have educated 47 eventual All Blacks, the Christchurch institution 37.
New tighthead prop Ben Franks, who makes his debut against Munster on Limerick's Thomond Park Stadium today, could have helped bridge the gap - had he been wanted.
Instead the 24-year-old Melbourne-born frontrower is Aranui High School's original All Black, no mean feat for a league-orientated school in the city's unfashionable eastern suburbs.
Franks thought he was developing well at CBHS until the fifth form when he was told he was considered too small to prop for the first XV.
The damning appraisal was hard to take at the time - but Franks looks back without regret now.
"I've never been a big prop, I'm probably not now either," he said, despite standing a respectable 1.83-metres and weighing in at 112kg.
So he crossed town to Aranui in 2002, joined their rugby academy and set about developing into a versatile prop capable of covering both sides.
"Wherever you get an opportunities you take them. I had a chance to play first XV so off I went."
Franks, who still has his Australian twang, certainly stood out at Aranui - Maori and Polynesian students dominate the roll.
"I added a bit of colour," he smiled.
"I had a great time at the rugby academy they had back then."
Franks duly represented Canterbury at age group level, then the New Zealand Colts before making his provincial debut in 2005.
Super rugby was the logical progression. He made his Crusaders debut in 2006 against the Chiefs and featured in each of the beaten semifinalist's 14 matches last year.
The Crusaders went one better in May to capture their seventh title - and Franks was an integral member of the front row, sharing game time with the All Blacks' most capped prop Greg Somerville and Wyatt Crockett.
His place in the All Blacks' propping pecking order was clear in June when he was called in as cover for John Afoa during the two-test series with England. Franks was also summoned briefly during the Tri-Nations as Afoa was again in doubt.
He was named as one of two uncapped props when the end-of-year tour squad was named on October 26 - despite being troubled with a historic back injury - and has patiently bided his time.
Southland's latest All Black Jamie Mackintosh got the nod at loosehead for the Scotland test, meaning the midweek match with the Heineken Cup champions was the likely source of Franks' debut.
It may not be a test but Franks was still looking forward to the experience after spending hours on the training pitches and then warming up before kick-off in Hong Kong, Edinburgh and Dublin.
While frustrating, it has also been time well spent.
"The last few weeks have been really good in terms of getting familiar with the team patterns," he said.
"I feel pretty comfortable I know the game plan, I can just get out there and enjoy it."
Franks has marvelled at the stadiums and home town support the All Blacks have encountered so far, especially the atmosphere at Murrayfield and Croke Park.
"It's a lot different to New Zealand with the singing and the passion of the supporters," he said.
"The hairs on the back of your neck are going up, you feel like you're ready to play when you're warming up with the boys and then you have to go sit back down.
"I'm looking forward to not sitting back down."
- NZPA
