Scarlets bag ex-All Blacks prop Ben Franks

Scarlets have added World Cup-winning All Blacks prop Ben Franks to the coaching ticket at Parc Y Scarlets - the BBC are reporting. Franks formally retired as a player this season, ending his storied career at Northampton Saints.

According to the BBC, Franks will take up an as yet unconfirmed coaching roll with the PRO14 side, although one might hazard a guess that it'll involve scrummaging. Current Head coach Brad Mooar, forwards coach Ioan Cunningham and eight members of the playing squad are to leave the Scarlets before training resumes.

Mooar will be linking up with Ian Foster’s All Blacks coaching team this summer.

Franks (6'1, 119kg) won the Rugby World Cup in 2015 with the All Blacks – defeating the Wallabies in the final at Twickenham – the same year he reached the Super Rugby final with the Hurricanes under Saints’ director of Rugby, Chris Boyd.

He was also in the All Blacks set-up when they won the 2011 World Cup on home soil. In total, Franks notched up 47 caps in an impressive seven-year international career for New Zealand, earning 130 Super Rugby appearances for the Crusaders and the Hurricanes, twice winning the title with the former in 2006 and 2008.

The prop made his Test debut for New Zealand in 2010 against Ireland; packing down in the front row alongside brother Owen, the duo become only the second pair of brothers to represent the All Blacks.

The Melbourne-born prop operated on either side of the scrum, but specialised at tighthead, and formed a fierce reputation as a set-piece operator – also turning out for the Barbarians three times.

Earlier this week the region confirmed that eight members of the playing squad are to leave the Scarlets before training resumes: Hadleigh Parkes, Kieron Fonotia, Corey Baldwin, Jonathan Evans, Morgan Williams, Simon Gardiner, Rhys Fawcett and Tom James, who is retiring from professional rugby.