Veteran All Black will be a Thorn in Irish side
It’s an impressive feat considering he has been playing professionally for half of his 34 years and has jumped over and back between league and union and the Tasman Sea on three separate occasions.
“I’ve played 214 NRL games (for the Brisbane Broncos), eight tests for Australia, 14 games in (State of) Origin, 52 games for Crusaders, 26 for Canterbury, 21 tests for the All Blacks… and a couple of games in between.”
Born in Otago, Thorn’s travels began when he left for Brisbane as an eight-year old. He joined the Broncos aged 17 and stayed seven seasons before making the first of his switches to union and his homeland in 2001.
Twice more he followed the same script, leaving Australia’s Gold Coast and one code for its oval ball cousin in New Zealand. It’s been the proverbial long and winding road but the miles have yet to take their toll.
“It’s a bit surreal. I’m just one of those guys who has played lots of games but I don’t feel like some older guy. I’m just a big kid! I haven’t had big injuries in my career. I love the life. I love going to the gym and training my butt off.
“I like playing, I love contact sport and its camaraderie. I’m doing something I love doing. The only downside is the time spent away from your family because I have three sons — a four-year old, a three-year old and a two-year old.”
Sport may be his passion but he has never been consumed by it. That was obvious when he made the shock decision to turn down an invitation to tour with the All Blacks in 2001 when selected ahead of former captain Taine Randell.
Part of the reason was his desire to “sort a few things out” in his life.
Something of a party animal in his earlier career, he had discovered Christianity in 1998 and opted to stay at home rather than hit the road. The decision he took two years later was even more unexpected. Turning his back on both codes for a year, he did some travelling in his two ‘home’ countries, camped out in Queensland, did some labouring here and a bit of renovating there.
A gym rat normally, he allowed the waist band to expand for a while, got married and spent his honeymoon with his new wife in France and Spain as he continued his journey of discovery.
“Two things came out of it, one was that the world doesn’t revolve around football. People were getting on with their lives. Not everyone reads the back page. I had signed for the Broncos in High School so that was very stimulating for me. The other thing it gave me was a break, which helped my body. Maybe that’s why I’m still playing today.”
It was a remarkable break to take for a sportsman at the height of his powers but he hasn’t suffered. One of only two players to represent Australia at league and the All Blacks at union, he is the only man to have won NRL and Super 14 titles.
Adapting to union from league is never easy and many players have fallen between the two stools on the crossover but Thorn’s successful negotiation is apparent from his record with the All Blacks.
Having spurned the Silver Fern in 2001, he was invited back two years later and played 12 times that season. His next appearance came against Ireland in Wellington last June, four and a half years later.
THORN has been a regular this season but sat out last week’s game in Murrayfield. It was an experience which irritated but he returns to the second row alongside Ali Williams Saturday and is eagerly awaiting his reunion with Paul O’Connell and Donncha O’Callaghan.
“They are very solid. O’Connell is a leader. All these Munster lads are battle-hardened. They have won big games and are vastly experienced. O’Connell just grits his way through games.
“The other lad (O’Callaghan) is a big lump of a lad and he was solid in Wellington as well. They had a big pack that worked well together. They know each other. It’s a pretty exciting challenge.”
Yet another in a life full of them.
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