AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - AUGUST 06: (L-R) Owen and Ben Franks of the All Blacks hold the Bledisloe Cup after winning the Tri-Nations match between the New Zealand All Blacks and the Australian Wallabie
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - AUGUST 06: (L-R) Owen and Ben Franks of the All Blacks hold the Bledisloe Cup after winning the Tri-Nations match between the New Zealand All Blacks and the Australian Wallabie
For the Franks brothers, celebrating comes second to another gym session and that applies even to World Cup victories.
Ben and Owen, the two All Blacks front rowers and peas from a single pod, revealed today that even the mentally and physically draining victory over France at Eden Park in2011 was no barrier to lifting weights the next day.
Owen, 27, the younger by four years, said it was Ben who suggested it in the aftermath of New Zealand's first World Cup victory in 24 years, and, since he didn't have anything else on, he decided he would join him. The gym was nice and quiet, after all.
He said: "I guess the gym to some people is a chore but we've been doing it for so long it's a bit of an outlet for us as well. You kind of feel at home in the gym so it's not a big deal. Some guys go for a walk or read a book, but we like to go to the gym. It's a way of de-stressing, I suppose."
Their habit of taking their own food everywhere, including planes, has become well known, as has their work ethic in the gym and training field. There is even a story, unconfirmed, about a reveller in Christchurch coming across the pair wrestling in Hagley Park on his way home from a big night out.
Most will agree that their decision to train after a World Cup victory takes their dedication to a new level, but for them there has been little choice.
Once the sons of a fisherman discovered they could make a career out of the game, the pair - who acknowledged that they weren't the most skilled of players - had to be all in.
Brothers in arms: the Franks celebrate the 2011 victory. Photo / Getty Images
"Out of necessity," Owen said. "You have to work extremely hard for what you have. You have to put more in than other people because maybe naturally you don't have the same as what they do, so I guess when you have that mindset that develops work ethic ... dad had us training at a pretty young age as well. He always taught us that what you put in you get out and you always have to put in a bit more and think outside the square to get ahead.
"I wouldn't say we're naturally big guys. If you see our dad, he's probably, what 85kg, so most of our family is quite small."
The partnership is about to end, though, with Ben taking up a contract with London Irish after the World Cup.
"Now you know the end is coming you can really enjoy it a bit more and take everything in and really appreciate being an All Black," Ben said.
"If anything there is more of a focus on what I'm doing now because my days are numbered, I know when the end is coming so I'm just trying to give it everything I've got for the last time."
They are brothers, friends and training partners, but they're also rivals. Tighthead Owen has 72 caps compared with the 43 of Ben, who can play both sides of the scrum and began his career with Owen at the Crusaders before moving to the Hurricanes. And there have been some testy moments - more so on the rugby field than as youngsters.
Owen said: "Funnily enough, the only fist fights we've had have been on the training field, at the Crusaders a couple of times. I don't think we ever held a grudge, we were probably laughing about it an hour later."
