All Blacks Duo Set To Join Chris Boyd At Northampton Saints
Jason Hennessy
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New recruits.
Incoming Northampton Saints boss Chris Boyd is targeting two former All Blacks to join him at the Premiership side next season.
The current Hurricanes head coach will take over as Director of Rugby at the Saints next season, after the English club parted ways with long-serving boss Jim Mallinder before Christmas.
According to The Rugby Paper, Boyd is keen on securing the services of Jeremy Thrush and Ben Franks, who are both out of contract at the end of the season with rivals Gloucester and London Irish respectively.
Second-row Thrush has 11 caps with the All Blacks, and spent nine years with Wellington and the Hurricanes, working under Boyd. Franks meanwhile has two Rugby World Cup medals, having represented New Zealand on 47 occasions.
The report also suggests Boyd is interested in former Crusaders, Chiefs and Highlanders winger Patrick Osborne. The 30 year-old Fijian is currently plying his trade in Japan’s Top League.
