Props Ben and Owen Franks will be the first brothers in 13 years to play in an All Blacks rugby team after being named for next week’s one-off Test against Ireland at New Plymouth.
Canterbury Crusaders prop Ben Franks was included among three new caps in the New Zealand starting lineup named yesterday, joining uncapped fullback Israel Dagg and rookie center Benson Stanley.
Ireland announced 10 changes to their starting lineup for the match, reshaping the team that lost 29-23 to the Barbarians in Limerick last weekend.
Owen and Ben Franks become the first pair of brothers to play a Test for New Zealand since Zinzan and Robin Brooke faced England in 1997. They follow in the footsteps of other famous New Zealand rugby brothers including Colin and Stan Meads and Don and Ian Clarke.
Dagg, who turned 22 on Sunday, was named at fullback after the selectors decided to move the more experienced Cory Jane to the wing where he is paired with the recalled Joe Rokocoko.
Stanley, the Australian-born nephew of former All Blacks center Joe Stanley, wins his first Test jumper as the only fit inside center in the New Zealand squad after injuries to midfielders Ma’a Nonu, Richard Kahui and Isaia Toeava.
Ben Franks, 26, is named at loosehead prop in place of 61-Test veteran Tony Woodcock, who has been struggling for form. He and younger brother Owen, 22, will prop the New Zealand scrum on either side of hooker Keven Mealamu, who returns to the starting XV in the absence of Andrew Hore who has a shoulder injury.
A further three uncapped players have been named on the All Blacks reserve bench. Backrower Victor Vito, lock Sam Whitelock and flyhalf Aaron Cruden are all in line to make their test debuts as substitutes.
Flanker Richie McCaw will captain New Zealand in his 81st Test, equaling Justin Marshall as the third most-capped All Black.
Center Brian O’Driscoll returns to captain the Irish team among four backline changes. Winger Tommy Bowe, center Gordon D’Arcy and scrumhalf Tomas O’Leary also join a strengthened Ireland backline.
Props Cian Healy and John Hayes, locks Donncha Callaghan and Mick O’Driscoll and backrowers Jamie Heaslip and David Wallace were named among six changes to the forward pack.
Two uncapped players — hooker John Fogarty and lock Dan Tuohy — were included on the bench.
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Roger Federer on Wednesday said that staying involved with tennis in retirement helped him avoid feeling “like an alien” ahead of this week’s Laver Cup in Berlin. Federer, who helped create the tournament, retired at the Laver Cup in London two years ago and has since stayed involved with the competition as an ambassador. “I’m happy I went back right away to some tournaments,” the 43-year-old told reporters. “I feel I ripped the Band-Aid off quite quickly and when I walk around the tennis sites I still feel I belong there,” he said. “I don’t feel like an alien, which is a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two