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Thorn ready for 'biggest' Test

Any time lock Brad Thorn lines up against South Africa in a Test match it is highest on his list of biggest games in the year.

Friday, 09 July 2010

Sportal.co.nz

Any time lock Brad Thorn lines up against South Africa in a Test match it is highest on his list of biggest games in the year.

It's his ninth Test against the old foe, and the 70-80 year rivalry between the two sides is something he acknowledges is a factor in boosting the games for him.

Last year's 0-3 loss was a factor this time around, but it always came back to the history between the sides.

"They're two arch-rivals and, for me, it is really exciting to be part of it in my little part of history of having a crack and I try and get up for it," he said.

And it didn't matter who the South Africans put in at lock there was plenty of depth in the position. But Saturday will see him back against his long-standing foes Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha.

"It's a great test, South Africa are really strong at the moment. To me, I think that is great. The Springboks are traditional rivals and you want them at their best," he said.

Botha was a great competitor, and the player with whom Thorn was most often compared, but the good thing about their rivalry was 'you can try and smash each other and then afterwards shake each other's hand'.

"He plays his rugby hard but he has maintained his performance at Test level over quite a few years now and it is flattering to be compared to someone like that.

"In saying that, you've got your own game, you're trying to achieve your own things and hopefully be known for the stuff that your do," Thorn said.

What drove Thorn, he said, was that he hoped since coming over from rugby league that people could look at him and see a rugby player.

"That was always my goal and I want to be as best as I can as a rugby player and if that means being physical hopefully I can do my job in the set piece and running the ball, making tackles, whatever and people could look at me and say, 'that guy can play a bit of rugby'."

Thorn said the lineout struck some hiccups, especially against South Africa last year, after going well in 2008. It improved on the end-of-year tour last season and it had started well this year.

"The Tri Nations, I think, is the major competition in the world each year so I guess we'll see where it's [the lineout] is at. It's just a great competition of six games of absolute tough rugby. I played in the World Cup, it far surpassed that for me. We're lucky to play it each year," he said.

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