New Zealand tighthead prop Owen Franks has been ruled out for the rest of the season and will undergo surgery on his Achilles tendon injury.
All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen gave extensive injury update ahead of Saturday’s Rugby Championship Test against Argentina in New Plymouth and revealed that Franks, who has represented his country in 95 Tests, would have an operation on Friday.
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Franks’ injury has been bothering him for a while now and forced him to withdraw from the All Blacks’ starting line-up ahead of their Bledisloe Cup Test with Australia in Dunedin last month.
Meanwhile, there is still concern over All Blacks openside flanker Sam Cane, who sustained a head knock in that win over the Wallabies in Dunedin which prompted Hansen to call up uncapped Blues tearaway Blake Gibson into the squad as injury cover.
Veteran flanker Matt Todd was unavailable as back up after fracturing his hand on Mitre 10 Cup duty for Canterbury.
In other injury news, All Blacks wing Waisake Naholo, who didn’t feature in the two Bledisloe Cup Tests, has been sidelined after sustaining a head knock during while in action for Taranaki against Counties-Manukau at the weekend.