Reds coach Brad Thorn still has the ‘urge’ to play

Former All Black and Crusaders star Brad Thorn has revealed that although he has started as the Reds Super Rugby development coach he hasn’t ruled out playing again in 2016.

Forty-year-old Thorn will be looking after the Reds up-and-coming forwards but he says that he still has the “urge ” to play again.

Speculation is mounting that he could come in for Wallabies second-rower Kane Douglas who is injured and likely to miss the entire 2016 Super Rugby season.

The Reds have starting locks in Rob Simmons and new recruit Cadeyrn Neville but after that the depth is a little thin after Douglas was injured in the 2015 Rugby World Cup final.

Thorn played for Leicester Tigers in England last season and it was thought that he had retired from playing but it now seems that he could play for incredible 23rd year.

“There’s always an urge. I didn’t actually retire – I’m just playing less now, ” Thorn told AAP.

“If things were like dire straits, I’m happy to help out any way I can, but I think things are under control at the moment.

“I feel okay, but like I said, it’s not something that’s heavily on my mind at the moment. ”

Reds coach Richard Graham has dismissed the talk of a Thorn return to the field as “just rumours ” and said “Right at this time, I can definitely rule out signing him as a player, because we’ve signed him as a coach. “