From stem cell therapy, to freezing mid-winter swims, prop Owen Franks is leaving no stone unturned as he chases the perfect ending to his All Blacks career at a third World Cup.
Franks, who revealed this week that he had used stem cell therapy to overcome a shoulder injury he suffered in April, is using the week off from the All Blacks’ Rugby Championships to enjoy a family break in the Tasman region.
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As per usual with the prop famous for his ultra-professional approach, Franks got a gym session in during the break.
Then he took it up a notch, posting a photo on his Instagram story of what we can only imagine was a freezing recovery dip in the Riwaka Resurgence, near Moteuka.
Franks is one of four players - alongside captain Kieran Read, Sam Whitelock and Sonny Bill Williams - who could be become the first three-time World Cup winners if they are selected and the All Blacks lift the William Webb Ellis Cup for a third straight time in Japan.