"Big Bad Brad Thorn"
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What is Brad Thorn currently doing after his rugby career?
the agenda podcast the home of sporting nonsense and claptrap brought to you by export ultra rare thorn welcome firstly there'll be a lot of people who are listening who would like to know what you're up to at the moment oh thanks for having me guys um yeah i'm uh i actually coach first 15 rugby in brisbane that's um for one of the elite private schools over there and It's been a tone down for me, I guess, coaching at Super Rugby level. It's been a really enjoyable couple of years, to be honest, and a few other things along with it.
What's the biggest difference with coaching the first 15? Can't swear at them, I suppose?
Do you know what? It's really cool. The kids haven't learned any bad habits yet. They're at the end of 12 years of study, so they're really open to learning. You know, it's been really enjoyable. You know, I've really enjoyed it.
Has it been successful? Has the team been successful? Because I'm just looking at pretty much every team you ever played for won. So are these guys winning as well?
I actually got a wooden spoon in Japan. Finally, the universe.
Finally, the universe.
I usually keep that secret. They've gone okay. We're sort of like... Mid-table, so yeah.
So on the front of the book, it says, lessons learned in footy and life to build a winning mindset. There's a lot of quotes in there from other people about, you know, you're winning, as Jerry just mentioned there. I feel like some people are just born winners. Do you feel like some people are born losers as well? Like, for example, this show here, we've been struggling. What is it that we don't understand about the winning mindset?
Yeah.
Do you know what, mate?
People, I remember Wayne Bennett, when I left the Broncos, he introduced me on the stage and I was going to get to the Crusaders for the second time and he He just said, Brad's a winner. I got my chance to say a few words. I told the crowd that I learned about winning by losing. I lost for the first 15 years of my life because I was in a highly competitive family with a father. and a brother who's 6'8". I'm 6'5", so he towers over me.
What are the challenges of coaching first 15 rugby?
And he was two years older, and they basically kicked my butt for 15 years. So maybe for you guys, you know, as losers, you're going to learn about what it takes to win, and I see a bright future in you guys.
I want to know, like, how much of a role, you're talking about, you know, growing up with a father and a larger older brother. How much of a role did growing up in freezing, mosquil winters play in your mental and physical resilience?
Yeah, big time. Yeah. But it was more, I moved to a place called Bannockburn in a town called Cromwell in central Otago. And it used to be, as we ran on the field with the fast and we were just rugged and yeah, it's a great upbringing. Yep.
It's a freezing part of the camp.
Bannockburn on the rail trail? Yeah, it goes up past Alex, I think, all the way to Queenstown. Something I want to do one day when I get some time.
You played professional sport until you were 41. That's quite intense because it wasn't like you were hanging out on the wing or anything. You obviously enjoyed getting smashed. Do you miss getting smashed?
Sometimes, you know, I walk down the street and there'll be traffic lights and people are gathering on the other side of the road. And I see a pile of them, I want to smash them. And, you know, I'm like the old soldier that has PTSD. Yeah. And then I've got to remind myself, no, Brad, just walk nicely.
That's one of the funniest things I've ever heard anyone say in my life. It's so honest.
He sees bowling pins.
What was the toughest physical encounter you ever played in? You must remember it.
When I was younger, coming through, I was lighter, leaner. As a 19-year-old playing in an ARL, they were tough games because I was throwing myself about and I was just a young guy developing, so they were the toughest games. But Origin is brutal. Springboks at altitude in Africa, just a heavyweight title fight. They were good competitions as well.
I've a lot said in your book about the training side of it.
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