Bay of Plenty Times
  • Bay of Plenty Times home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport

Locations

  • Coromandel & Hauraki
  • Katikati
  • Tauranga
  • Mount Maunganui
  • Pāpāmoa
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • What the Actual
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Bay of Plenty Times

Otago lock Tom Franklin joins Steamers

Bay of Plenty Times
25 Jan, 2017 02:33 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

HOMECOMING: Bay of Plenty Rugby have signed top-ranked lock Tom Franklin who is originally from Opotiki. PHOTO: photosport

HOMECOMING: Bay of Plenty Rugby have signed top-ranked lock Tom Franklin who is originally from Opotiki. PHOTO: photosport

Bay of Plenty Rugby has pulled off a recruitment feat in signing one of New Zealand's best young locks.

Tom Franklin, 26, will return to his Bay of Plenty roots after the Super Rugby campaign with the Highlanders.

The 110kg, 1.99m giant is regarded as a potential long-term All Black.

Last year the All Blacks selectors showed how highly they rated Franklin by calling him into the training squad as cover for Sam Whitelock ahead of the June tests against Wales.

Franklin is of true Bay of Plenty stock. He was born and raised in Opotiki before spending his secondary school years boarding at St Paul's Collegiate in Hamilton.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

He moved to Dunedin to study business management at the University of Otago. He was a member of the New Zealand under-20 side which won the 2010 Junior World Championship in Argentina before making his Otago debut a year later.

The Highlanders followed in 2014 where the young lock learned quickly alongside Brad Thorn and Jarrad Hoeata. Franklin was selected for the Maori All Blacks in 2014 and again last year where he featured in wins over United States and Harlequins.

Franklin has played 51 games for Otago, with his 50th against Bay of Plenty in last year's Mitre 10 Cup Championship semifinal.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Bay of Plenty Steamers head coach Clayton McMillan is delighted to have such a powerhouse joining at the peak of his powers.

"I tried to sign Tom two years ago when he was in-between contracts but he elected to go back to Otago at that stage. He has played 50 games for Otago so that was a box ticked for him and he was keen for new challenges and the allure of coming back home and closer to his family," McMillan said.

"Fortunately we were able to get the job done. He brings Super level experience, leadership, professionalism - all the sorts of things we are looking for in anybody that we contract.

"But you don't happen to pick up Super Rugby players too easily so it is a real coup for us to be able to attract him back."

With uncertainty over the future of centurion Culum Retallick and Troy Callander having major surgery, Franklin's signature is a massive boost to the Steamers locking stocks.

"I think we have demonstrated over the last couple of years an ability to bring good people in to our environment like Mitch Karpik and Liam Polwart, who are now over at the Chiefs," McMillan said.

"I think that is a reflection of lots of good things happening in Bay of Plenty that are encouraging people to see us as a good option moving forward."

Bay of Plenty Rugby chief executive Mike Rogers said Franklin's signing represented a high degree of confidence for players to come here and achieve their aspirations.

"We are dedicated to trying to get our local boys back when we can and we will keep plugging away at that," Rogers said.

"It gives me confidence in our coaching staff, our facilities and the other players that we are recruiting. That is a big consideration for players wanting to come here."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

Bay of Plenty Times

Crash clears on SH2, traffic still backed up

21 May 04:28 AM
Bay of Plenty Times

'Rapid rate': US demand grows for Kiwi beverage product

21 May 04:00 AM
Bay of Plenty Times

Tami Neilson joins Tauranga Arts Festival lineup with new tour

21 May 03:00 AM

The Hire A Hubby hero turning handyman stereotypes on their head

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

Crash clears on SH2, traffic still backed up

Crash clears on SH2, traffic still backed up

21 May 04:28 AM

Traffic is backed up on SH2 after a crash at 2.10pm.

'Rapid rate': US demand grows for Kiwi beverage product

'Rapid rate': US demand grows for Kiwi beverage product

21 May 04:00 AM
Tami Neilson joins Tauranga Arts Festival lineup with new tour

Tami Neilson joins Tauranga Arts Festival lineup with new tour

21 May 03:00 AM
'Challenging times': Social workers see spike in meth, mental health issues

'Challenging times': Social workers see spike in meth, mental health issues

21 May 02:00 AM
Gold demand soars amid global turmoil
sponsored

Gold demand soars amid global turmoil

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Bay of Plenty Times e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Bay of Plenty Times
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP