The former world champion hooker with the All Blacks, Owen Franks, will be World Cup joker at Stade Toulousain for the start of the Top 14 season.
Decimated due to its many internationals, Stade Toulousain has worked hard behind the scenes to strengthen itself for the start of the season. No less than eight elements, including six World Cup jokers, have been hired, including former Springbok Rynhardt Elstadt and Samoan international Piula Fa’asalele. Since this Saturday, another heavy reinforcement has landed in the Pink City. And not least. Rugby Rama announced the arrival as World Cup joker of former All Black hooker Owen Franks.
Owen Franks reportedly joining Nepo Laulala at Toulouse next season. https://t.co/51JX5xOmGv
— Jared Wright (@jaredwright17) July 14, 2023
It is a monster of world rugby who will discover the Top 14 at 35 years old. Crowned with two world championship titles with New Zealand in 2011 and 2015, this hooker has compiled 108 caps in the silver fern jersey. But beyond these sparkling statistics, Owen Franks is above all a player who for many years represented excellence in his position. Considered the best in the world in his position, endowed among other things with impressive technique and speed for a front-line player, he enjoyed the happiness of being an All Black until 2019.
Before this future freelance in France, the hooker has already evolved for two seasons on the old continent. On the side of Northampton in England between 2019 and 2021. The following two seasons he returned to the country where he defended the colors of the Wellington Hurricanes. Selected by Fabien Galthié with the XV of France, Julien Marchand and Peato Mauvaka can rest easy, their backs are assured.
