Leicester Tigers sign All Black veteran Brad Thorn

Aviva Premiership Rugby club Leicester Tigers have revealed that Rugby World Cup winning All Black lock Brad Thorn will join the rugby club in the coming months.

The thirty-nine-year-old veteran’s signing with the club was announced by Director of rugby Richard Cockerill.

Thorn is the first player in rugby history to have won the Rugby World Cup (2011), a Super Rugby title (2008 with Crusaders) and the European Cup (2012 with Leinster)

Thorn won 59 caps for the All Blacks after making his international rugby debut in 2003. He initially made his name playing rugby league for Australian side Brisbane Broncos and won the Australian NRL title in 2000.

In Rugby League he played at international level for Australia and ironically played all three of his Tests against his native country New Zealand in 1998.

“Brad Thorn will arrive in the next month or so and will be available to play for us by the end of September,” said Cockerill.

“He is 39 years old but he wants to play for another season.”

“I had a long discussion with him about what he wants to do and he wants to play in the Premiership. He wants to come here and test himself.

“That says a lot about him at this stage in his career, after all he has achieved, and the circumstances have created an opportunity for him here.

“We look forward to seeing him and bringing that experience into the squad.”