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Brad Thorn 'grateful for opportunity' as Super Rugby headcoach sacked

By Sacha Pisani

Queensland Reds have appointed World Cup-winning All Black Brad Thorn as head coach after parting ways with Nick Stiles.

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Stiles was sacked on Thursday, with Super Rugby outfit the Reds turning to Thorn, who was named as an assistant in 2016.

A member of New Zealand’s Rugby World Cup triumph in 2011, Thorn also guided Queensland’s under-20 side to an undefeated season this year.

The 42-year-old – who joined the Queensland Rugby Union (QRU) in 2015 – will be aided by recently appointed senior assistant coach Tony McGahan.

“I want to acknowledge that Nick has given a lot of his life to the QRU as a player, staff member and a coach and we are grateful for the immense contribution he has made,” said QRU CEO Richard Barker.

“Queensland Rugby Union was disappointed with the performance of Queensland Reds in 2017 and we believe we require a catalyst for change in culture, discipline and standards.

“We feel strongly that Brad Thorn is the right person to lead this change and that his appointment as head coach is the necessary catalyst for that change.

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“Brad has a proven track record of success as both a player and a coach. He is without peer when it comes to the culture and professionalism required to be successful at the highest level of our sport and he is enthusiastic about moving the Reds forward and creating a winning culture at Ballymore once again.”

— Queensland Reds (@Reds_Rugby) October 5, 2017

Head coach of Queensland Country, who are top of the National Rugby Championship with four rounds remaining, Thorn will continue in his current role before starting with the Reds in November.

Thorn added: “I believe actions speak louder than words. I’ve been grateful for the opportunity to spend the last two years at Ballymore coaching the Queensland Under-20s, Queensland Country and the Reds.

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“I feel I’m contributing to a change in culture and standards in those teams and I look forward to continuing to contribute to this organisation and the success of the Reds.”

Thorn is also well acquainted with his new out-half Quade Cooper from their international days.

Credit: rustycruiser

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Jon 9 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

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