Evergreen Thorn set for another Super Rugby season

Updated October 10, 2012 12:54:02

Evergreen dual international Brad Thorn is reportedly set to write a final chapter in his remarkable playing career by returning to Super Rugby with New Zealand franchise the Highlanders.

The former All Blacks lock, who played for Brisbane, Queensland and Australia in rugby league, has been playing rugby union in Japan and Ireland since helping New Zealand win last year's Rugby World Cup.

But the Otago Daily Times reports Thorn, who will turn 38 in February, has met with Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph and is believed to have agreed to play for the Dunedin-based franchise next season.

Thorn previously played Super Rugby for the Crusaders between 2001 and 2011, before returning to rugby league for a second stint with the Brisbane Broncos from 2005 to 2007.

He has played 200 top grade rugby league games for the Broncos, 14 for Queensland and eight matches for Australia.

In rugby union Thorn has played 92 Super Rugby games for the Crusaders and 60 Tests for the All Blacks.

However a move to the Highlanders would be a fitting career finale for Thorn, who was born in Mosgiel just outside Dunedin where the team is based.

He would add experience and steel to a Highlanders forward pack that already includes new signing All Blacks prop Tony Woodcock and All Blacks hooker Andrew Hore.

Thorn left for Japan last year on a two-year deal to play for the Fukuoka Sanix Blues and that deal is due to expire in late February, paving his way to play in Super Rugby.

Earlier this year, he signed a three-month contract with Irish club Leinster and helped them to win Europe's Heineken Cup.

It added another honour to Thorn's long list, having tasted success at virtually every level in both codes.

AAP

Tags: super-rugby, rugby-union, sport, new-zealand, brisbane-4000, qld, australia

First posted October 10, 2012 12:54:02

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Not just another final for Thorn

Posted July 7, 2011 16:14:00

Brad Thorn will play his last match for the Crusaders on Saturday night and he believes it will the most important of his extraordinary 17-year career.

Not because it is his Super Rugby swansong or a final triumph over the Queensland Reds could deliver his team an eighth title in 16 seasons.

It is because he is representing a region which has been suffering for six months, and there a responsibility to boost local morale in the wake of February's Christchurch earthquake.

Thorn is as tough as they come. In 17 seasons at the top level of both rugby codes, the former Brisbane Bronco and current All Black has never been sidelined by a serious injury.

But reliving the plight of his current home town, as well as the suffering seen in his original home during Queensland's floods, rubbed his raw emotions on Thursday.

The 36-year-old forward fought back tears as he spoke about the huge sense of pride the Crusaders feel about delivering a cherished title for the people of Canterbury.

Thorn was staying in Brisbane when the Queensland floods hit in January and was back in Christchurch a month later when the devastating quake struck.

He summed it up as "special the two teams representing those areas are playing" at a packed-out Lang Park.

"For me, this game is pretty darn important," the dual international said.

"It's been a big few months back there and I feel a responsibility, and there's more to this game.

"I've got to win a Super Rugby final before, it's cool. It's hard for me to get across what I'm saying but this is something for the people back there, and maybe the Reds feel the same way for Queensland people as well."

But Thorn is wary the seven-time champions can not afford to allow the emotion and motivation of the situation to creep in against the Reds.

"You have to let that go to concentrate on your job," he said.

"If you concentrate too much on that stuff, it can be quite heavy on you and affect your performance.

"You've got to be careful not to let it drown you."

He said the adversity and 100,000-plus kilometres of travel, brought about by the lack of a home ground, had brought the Crusaders players and coaches together closer.

They do not need to talk about the hardship.

"We've been living it," the 50-Test lock said.

"The aftershocks - it's psychological warfare from mother nature."

But they have not complained once as they have travelled to almost all major centres around New Zealand, plus Brisbane (twice), Perth, South Africa (twice) and London this season while their families stayed at home.

The stress is set to see star centre Sonny Bill Williams move to play with the Chiefs next season to be closer to his mother.

"The feedback we're getting is the people are getting a real boost out of our performances," Thorn said.

"I think the people back home are enjoying it and are really proud of us and we're proud of them.

"I just feel so proud of the people back there, just like the Queenslanders who came out to help (during the floods). That was so cool to see.

"That's a massive positive that's come out of tough times."

- AAP

Tags: sport, rugby-union, super-14, qld, brisbane-4000, new-zealand

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Elsom faces another spell on sidelines

Updated May 23, 2011 13:03:00

Wallabies skipper Rocky Elsom faces another spell on the sidelines after injuring his ankle in his first match of the season for the Brumbies at the weekend.

The 28-year-old flanker will undergo scans on Monday to determine the seriousness of the injury he sustained in the second half of the Brumbies' 13-13 Super Rugby draw with Western Force on Saturday.

"We won't know until we get the scan results but it could be one week, it could be four, it could be six," Brumbies coach Tony Rea told the Australian newspaper.

A six-week spell out could signal the end of Elsom's time at the twice Super rugby champion Brumbies, who have four more matches to play and no hope of making the play-offs.

Elsom has not yet decided on his future after his contract with the Brumbies and Australian Rugby Union (ARU) expires at the end of the year.

Saturday's match in Perth was Elsom's first for six months after he recovered from a hamstring injury and the twisted ankle is another blow to his preparations for this year's World Cup.

- Reuters

Tags: sport, rugby-union, super-14, australia, act, canberra-2600

First posted May 23, 2011 12:38:00

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