No place for Test centurion Franks on 31-man listFlanker Luke Jacobson a surprise inclusionSentimentality has been cast aside in the name of speed as veteran prop Owen Franks was omitted from the All Blacks squad named to defend the Rugby
World Cup in Japan. A veteran of 108 Tests, Franks has paid for deteriorating form this year and won’t contest his third tournament, having being part of the victorious teams of 2011 and 2015.
It means just three players – captain Kieran Read, inside centre Sonny Bill Williams and lock Sam Whitelock – are in contention to become the first players to lift the Webb Ellis Cup for a third time.