Brad Thorn adds another title – Rugby News Update
Brad Thorn, the 37-year-old lock has added another title to his burgeoning CV, after winning the Heineken Cup with Leinster this past Saturday against their league rivals Ulster. He established himself as one of the most successful rugby players of his generation.
Thorn has the distinction of being the second person after Bill Hardcastle to play for Australia in the league and New Zealand in the union. He made his Australian Rugby League debut in 1997 after impressing with the Brisbane Broncos in Australia's National
Rugby League. He switched codes in 2001 to join the Crusaders in the Super 12 and Canterbury in the National Provincial Championship.
However, Thorn is a short-term signing for Leinster, as he joined the team in March due to the injury crisis that hit the club. For his professionalism, he has earned many plaudits, and with it more accolades.
His previous New Zealand coach, Steve Hansen said, "He is a great athlete who is truly professional and deserves everything he's got. What is he 38, now? We were all well and truly sitting on the couch and drinking a few beers at 38. It's just tremendous
what he's achieved."
Thorn made his All Blacks debut in 2003 against Wales at Hamilton, on June 21, 2003. In his career with the All Blacks, who he has represented 59 times so far, he has represented three Tri-Nations winning sides in 2003, 2008 and 2010. After winning the World
Cup in 2011 with New Zealand, he also won the Tri-Nations, Super Rugby and a European Cup in one year, becoming the first player to do so.
Speaking about his ambitions on the rugby pitch, Thorn said that he has always thought of winning and achieving as many triumphs as possible.
He said, "I would have just been happy with all my NRL stuff and do some cool stuff over there. But I have always been a big dreamer. Years ago I never dreamed that what happened in my NRL career would happen. Now I just don't believe it again in union.
To do and win all I have is amazing."
Thorn goes back to the Fukuoka Sanix Blues in Japan but he has the chance of adding the RaboDirect PRO12 title next week, when Leinster takes on Ospreys in the final.
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