Brad Thorn Says Winning Heineken Cup Was Highlight Of His Career

 

Surprisingly, legendary All Black lock Brad Thorn has said, in an interview with ESPNscrum, that the highlight of his trophy laden career in both codes of Rugby was winning the Heineken Cup with Leinster. This news may come as a shock to many as Thorn, of course, won the 2011 World Cup hosted in the nation he calls home, New Zealand.

“When I held up the cup with Brian O’Driscoll, that was just gold,” said Thorn, 40, currently of the Leicester Tigers but recently linked with another stint in Super Rugby, with the Queensland Reds reportedly interested in his services.

Naturally, Thorn was delighted with winning a World Cup but feels the pressure placed on the All Blacks to win the Webb Ellis trophy was almost unbearable, and took a toll on him, mentally and physically.

“The World Cup wasn’t really like that for me, it was a duty to my country,” he says. “There was too much on the line. There’s too much at stake.

Showing the leadership qualities and personal high standards which has seen Thorn succeed in both Rugby Union and Rugby League, where he represented Australia internationally, the former Leinster lock says he put immense pressure on himself to deliver the World Cup trophy to the expectant New Zealand Rugby nation.

“I was a senior member of that team and it was a job I just had to get done and then move on with my life. Even to my team-mates, I knew I couldn’t show any weakness. I didn’t sleep very well, I was pretty much run down by the time we reached the final. The pool stage was fine but when we reached the quarter-finals I shut myself down, it was business time. I was in tears after the whistle in the final and that was because I had put so much pressure on myself.”

Information Source: ESPN.co.uk

 

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