Rugby: Front row seats to the making of an All Black prop

Owen Franks is hailed by his coaches as mentally tough and a quick learner well suited to one of the toughest positions in the game. Photo / Getty Images

When they come to dish out rugby awards at the end of the year, Owen Franks must be in line for some trophy.

He was picked in the Crusaders squad for the Super 14 but sat third in the tighthead pecking order behind All Black elder brother Ben and Bronson Murray. He was there to stack on some condition, experience and knowledge for the years ahead.

Tomorrow he wears the No 3 black jersey for his personal duel with the Beast and the Boks in Hamilton.

It is a staggering rise with team statisticians pointing out only two All Blacks props have been younger than Franks on making their test debuts.

The team management and coaches are very aware of that fact and the need to coax Franks through the next few years. They have already put those plans in place.

"He has made such a rapid progression that we have got to be careful," national scrum coach Mike Cron said.

"We have brought him on quietly and he is a very dedicated man but we are mindful of his age and we made sure he had two weeks away from the NPC after the last test."

Franks will not be 22 until just before Christmas, by which time he should have added an All Black tour to his resume. Last year his older brother was chosen and played against Munster but has battled with stress fractures in his foot this season.

The younger Franks was born in Motueka where he received all sorts of help, encouragement and advice from his family but in particular from his father Ken, who ran a fishing fleet out of Nelson.

The 1.87m, 112kg Franks pulled on the national Secondary Schools uniform and in his second attempt, nailed selection in the NZ under-21 side.

"He is a very dedicated young man," said Cron, "and has got some serious talent. He showed that this year when injuries to others meant he got a crack with the Crusaders.

"We liked what we saw and decided to keep him as injury cover for the All Blacks instead of sending him away with the Juniors. Then Neemia [Tialata] hurt a knee and it has gone from there."

Franks will play his sixth test tomorrow in Hamilton as that progression continues.

The All Black selectors and support crew are rewarded by Franks' dedication and enthusiasm but also mindful they have to look after him. There have been too many props, for a variety of reasons, who have not kicked on or have stalled.

"Owen has got a long way to go in his development. He is not really a big unit yet but he will be. He has got a great make-up," said Cron.

"He is mentally tough for his age. Once you start working with him, he responds quickly to what you are after."