Brad Thorn
Brad Thorn was born in Dunedin, Otago Region, New Zealand on February 3rd, 1975 and is the Rugby Player. At the age of 49, Brad Thorn biography, profession, age, height, weight, eye color, hair color, build, measurements, education, career, dating/affair, family, news updates, and networth are available.
At 49 years old, Brad Thorn has this physical status:
Playing career
In the 1994 Winfield Cup season's 12th round against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, Thorn made his first grade debut in the NSWRL for the Brisbane Broncos, who were then defending premiers. He was named the club's rookie of the year award at the end of the season.
Thorn, as well as the majority of his Broncos teammates and players of several other clubs, was aligned with Super League and therefore ineligible for selection in the Australian Rugby League's 1995 State of Origin series or post-season 1995 Rugby League World Cup. Thorn made his debut for the Queensland Maroons in Game I of the 1996 State of Origins series the following year, when all players were allowed to be selected for representative football. For the three games of the season, he remained in second place.
Thorn appeared in all three games for Queensland in this year's Super League Tri-series. Against New Zealand, he made his international debut. Thorn triumphed in his first premiership with the Broncos in Brisbane's 1997 Super League grand final. Thorn was chosen to travel to England and play for Australia at prop forward in all three Test matches against Great Britain in 1997, winning by a point of determining test victory. Thorn converted to Christianity on this tour, led by his front-row partner Jason Stevens.
Thorn was selected in Game II of the 1998 State of Origins series following the sport's reunification in the National Rugby League. In all three Tests of the 1998 international series against New Zealand, he continued to represent Australia. Thorn also appeared in the Broncos' victory in the 1998 NRL Grand Final, winning his second premiership title.
Thorn was chosen to appear in Game III of the 1999 State of Origin series and all three matches of the 2000 State of Origin series. In 2000, the Broncos defeated the Sydney Roosters in a second-row forward, winning their third premiership.
Thorn moved to New Zealand and joined the rugby union in 2001, while competing for the Crusaders in the National Provincial Championship in Canterbury. In 2001, he was a member of the Canterbury squad that captured the NPC for the first time. He had been planned for the end of the year All Black tour in 2001, but he had to cancel due to his own inability to the 15-man tournament. Thorn played for New Zealand's All Blacks in 2003, with him appearing in 12 tests, including the 2003 Rugby Union World Cup. He then became a dual rugby-code international, the second man in history (after Bill Hardcastle) to have represented Australia in league and New Zealand in union. Thorn achieved the NPC with Canterbury in 2004. In 2003, he also won the Tri-Nations with NZ.
Thorn returned to Brisbane and the National Rugby League in 2005, and he was back in the Broncos for another three years. In all three games of the 2005 State of Origins collection, he was a more representative selection for Queensland, scoring a game in Game II.
In the Broncos' 2006 NRL Grand Final victory over the Melbourne Storm, Thorn claimed another premiership ring when he appeared in second row. The Broncos traveled to England to face St Helens, the 2006 World Championship Challenge champions, in the 2006 National Rugby Premiership. In the Broncos' 14–18 loss, Thorn appeared as a second-row forward.
The Broncos unveiled a list of the 20 best players to play for them during the 2007 NRL season, including Thorn. Thorn changed codes once more during the 2007 NRL season, heading back to New Zealand to continue his rugby union service career.
Thorn signed with Tasman Rugby Union in October, 2007, making him eligible for the Crusaders for the second time. In 2008, he defeated the Waratahs in a dramatic manner, winning 20–12. He became the second person to win both a Super Rugby championship and an NRL title. Peter Ryan's Brisbane Broncos and the Brumbies first achieved this feat in 1998 and 2001, and after Thorn, only by former Crusaders teammates Sonny Bill Williams and Queensland Reds/Melbourne Storm player Will Chambers in 2012. Thorn was selected by the All Blacks to test Ireland in Wellington in 2008. In 2008, he became the second Tri-Nations ambassador with New Zealand, and in 2010, he won his second Tri-Nations with New Zealand and a third in 2010.
Thorn signed a contract with Fukuoka Sanix Blues in the Japanese Top League after the Rugby World Cup in 2011. Thorn was a member of the All Blacks team that won the Rugby World Cup 2011, beating France 8–7 in the Final on October 23.
Thorn signed a three-month deal with European champions Leinster in March 2012. Leinster went on to win the 2012 Heineken Cup, while Thorn was still in the final, but not a lock. Thorn was the first to win a World Cup, a Super Rugby title, and the Heineken Cup after winning this award. He has since been involved in this challenge by Bakkies Botha, Danie Rossouw, and Bryan Habana.
Thorn has confirmed in principle to join the Highlanders Super rugby franchise for the 2013 season, according to a tweet in October 2012. Thorn will be joining the Dunedin-based team of incoming World Cup finalists Ma'a Nonu and Tony Woodcock, both of whom were joining from the Blues in Auckland.
Thorn played his 100th Super rugby game against the Sharks in Dunedin on May 4, 2013.
Thorn's 2014 bicep injury that necessitated surgery ended his season, bringing into question whether Thorn will be able to fulfil his stated aim of playing rugby union professionally until age 40. Thorn, on the other hand, decided to continue his career in August 2014 after signing an extension with the Leicester Tigers in England.
Thorn announced on April 8th, 2015, that he would retire at the end of the 2014–15 season.
Thorn came out of retirement, aged 41, and competed for Queensland Country in Australia's National Rugby Championship.
Thorn's lengthy playing career - 22 years as a professional - has been attributed to his career's broader focus on stretching, listening to his body, and only lifting weights when he felt it was appropriate for him. Thorn is known for his physique and his dedication to weight training throughout his career.
Coaching career
Thorn was confirmed as the Queensland Reds Elite Development Squad forwards coach for the next three seasons on May 12, 2015, and will begin in November 2015. Thorn said "I actually said at the time I didn't retire, I'm just playing less now."
Thorn was named as an assistant coach of Queensland Country for the 2016 National Rugby Championship and was made head coach of the team for the 2017 season.
Following Nick Stiles' dismissal, he was named head coach of the Reds in October 2017.
In 2021, he coached the Queensland Reds to a Super Rugby AU Championship, and was the Australian Super Rugby Coach Award Winner for the year. He is the second longest serving coach of the Queensland Reds.