Super Rugby: Rehabbing Owen Franks targets April debut for Hurricanes

It turns out Owen Franks’ maiden season with the Hurricanes might not be a lost cause.

A couple of months after he went down in a heap after snapping his Achilles tendon during a sprint session, the 34-year-old is on track to return to Super Rugby in April.

Franks, the fifth-most capped Crusader (153), last year signed a two-year deal with the Hurricanes after spending a couple of Covid-19 and injury hindered seasons with Northampton.

It was initially believed Franks wouldn’t play during the inaugural season of Super Rugby Pacific when he suffered the blow, but the tighthead prop is bullish about his chances of getting back on the paddock before the season is cooked.

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“I’m trying to stay grounded and not get too ahead of myself, but I intend to be playing Super Rugby this year for sure,” Franks said.

“I don’t think I’ve been this pumped about potentially playing again in a long time. Especially with what I’ve been through with injuries the last year and a half. If I can get back on the field and play to my potential, it will probably be the biggest achievement of my career. I fricking can’t wait.”

Franks, who last week launched a new scrum machine with Crusaders assistant coach Jason Ryan, is whizzing through his rehab.

In fact, having dealt with nagging pain in his Achilles – he had season-ending surgery on his left one in 2017 – for a chunk of his career, they’ve never felt better.

“To be honest, since it’s been ruptured, it’s the least