Latest news with #Thorn
The 42
4 days ago
- Sport
- The 42
The Brisbane school where ex-Leinster man Brad Thorn coaches
IT'S TUESDAY AFTERNOON on the main pitch at Brisbane Boys' College and Brad Thorn is putting the First XV through their paces. 'I wanna hear the wind come out of the pad,' shouts Thorn in his distinctive gravelly voice as the players work on their tackle technique. They soon move onto chop tackles and jackaling at the breakdown. Thorn gets involved, showing a couple of the teenage players exactly how they can sharpen their skills. He's 50 now, but Thorn still looks like he could do it in top-level rugby. The 2011 World Cup winner, 59-cap All Black, former rugby league star, and ex-Leinster man has seen and done it all in rugby, but watching him coaching a busy session with Brisbane Boys' College is proof that Thorn still loves his rugby. He finished as head coach of Super Rugby's Queensland Reds in 2023 and has been working as an assistant coach with 'BBC' for the last two years. All three of his sons have come through the school, so there was a strong connection. Down the other end of the pitch, head coach Dan Leo, the man who convinced Thorn to get involved, is overseeing some attack plays. Former Samoa, Wasps, and Perpignan lock Leo is another highly-experienced figure who commands respect from the players. Leo bumped into Thorn in a coffee shop in Brisbane just after the latter had finished as Reds head coach and now, early in his own coaching career, Leo is delighted to have him on board. Thorn leads a scrum session. The 42 The 42 'Brad is a Queensland legend in two codes,' says Leo. 'To have someone of his calibre bringing us all along has been awesome. 'I'm only three years into my coaching journey, so having Brad's guidance has been massive.' Also involved is former Rebels, London Irish, and Gloucester scrum-half Ben Meehan, who only recently finished his professional career and works with the BBC backs and attack. Mason Gordon, who played Super Rugby with the Rebels and Reds but was forced to retire this year at the age of 22 due to concussion, is lending a hand. He was the out-half last time BBC won a title in 2020. Now, he's working with young players who hope to follow in his footsteps. After everyone comes together for 15-a-side games, Thorn gets his hands on the forwards again for a short, sharp scrummaging session. He pushes them hard, but they're big boys and seem to be well able for the demands. 'What's that talent show with the guy Simon… Britain's Got Talent, yeah,' says Thorn as we sit on one of the pitchside stands after the session. 'He's always the one that's a bit, you know, hard to please. But everyone wants to hear his score, don't they? 'When I started last year, I was probably the scarier guy, but I formed some good bonds. 'And I believe in young men. So these guys are 17 or 18. There was World War 1, World War 2, guys who were 17 or 18 fighting in World Wars, so I've got a lot of belief in young men and I feel like when they're challenged, they rise. 'Challenging is part of my coaching. We have standards and we have a laugh and a good time as well. But yeah, when it's business time, we're into it.' One of BBC's hookers working with Mason Gordon. The 42 The 42 There are some highly talented players in BBC's First XV, which the school has high hopes for this year. Eight of them played for the Queensland Reds U18s, also coached by Leo, while two of them are in the Australia U18s set-up. Coaches and team-mates alike congratulate outside centre Taione Taka when he arrives for training. Taka has just signed a two-year deal with the Reds. He will be kicking on into pro rugby upon leaving school. Meanwhile, there are commiserations for halfback Isaac Kefu, the son of Wallabies legend Toutai. Sadly for Isaac, he has suffered an ACL injury. But they're confident he will pick up where he left off when he gets back. Stuart Mitchell, the school's experienced director of athletic development, explains how advanced some of these young men are. BBC have a couple of props weighing in at over 130kg, some loose forwards nearing 110kg, and several lightning-quick backs. It's clear the young players are deeply committed to their rugby. 'Character over everything,' reads a banner on the far side of the pitch and this is something that drew Thorn back from professional coaching. 'I finished at the Reds and if I want to be coaching professional rugby, I'm gonna have to leave the state or leave the country,' says Thorn. 'Brisbane's my home, I've got kids at school, all that sort of stuff. The other option is in schools or club rugby. Now, they're not big-paying jobs, but I thought I might have a break – I've done 30 years of professional sport. 'There's real purity with the school level, the players are in a learning environment for 12 years, so they pick things up pretty quickly. They don't have bad habits, they don't really have habits yet, and they put a good amount of effort into their rugby.' Thorn works with the players on their breakdown skills. The 42 The 42 There are lots of players with Pacific Islands backgrounds in BBC and that's something Leo is passionate about, having worked with the Pacific Rugby Players Welfare organisation for nearly a decade. Brisbane Boys' College is one of the nine fee-paying schools that make up the annual Great Public Schools Association of Queensland competition, the GPS. Along with a similar competition in New South Wales, the Brisbane GPS is a serious breeding ground for pro rugby players, both in union and in league. In fact, rugby league has started placing talented players into GPS schools, paying their fees so they can develop in these elite schools even if they're playing union. There is also a growing number of foreign clubs taking a keen interest. 'This year there's been four or five boys [from GPS schools] who have been signed by French clubs,' says Leo, whose two young sons are in BBC's junior school. Advertisement 'From this school, a number of boys have already been in conversations with Japanese, French, and Italian clubs to go straight after school.' Leo, Thorn, and BBC director of rugby Welmar du Plessis do their best to offer the players guidance and advice, with their experience in the game valuable. Du Plessis is a busy man, overseeing the entire programme from 10-year-old players up to the First XV, as well as coaching the Reds U16s. Everything in BBC is aligned, with teams using the same rugby terminology throughout the different levels. As well as assisting Leo with the First XV, Thorn runs the 'Tartan academy.' That runs each morning, with Thorn and Gordon working closely with players on their individual core skills and game understanding from the age of 10. Du Plessis explains that the Brisbane Boys' College set-up is about helping the boys to develop habits that apply to the rest of their education and lives after school. They also hope to instil a love of rugby that means players don't stop rugby after leaving BBC. Head coach Dan Leo keeps a watchful eye over proceedings. The 42 The 42 'Not everyone can play professional footy,' says du Plessis. 'But you can still play with your mates or you can still kick on and play at a decent level at Premier Grade and Colts [in club rugby]. 'It's important for their mental health and to feel connected with an environment and a community. Even for the guys that don't play professionally, they still feel that love of the game.' Paul Woodford, the school's head of co-curricular for all sports and competitive activities, is originally from the UK and has been blown away by the scale of the GPS competition since arriving in Brisbane. Crowds of more than 5,000 supporters pack in at BBC for their big matches, with the team running out onto the pitch through a tunnel of bagpipe players. 'It's just such a spectacle,' says Woodford. Other Brisbane schools like Nudgee and Churchie have won far more GPS Premiership titles, but BBC believe they have a very strong team this year. The campaign kicks off on Saturday with a visit to Toowoomba Grammar School, then it's into what Leo calls a 'sprint' of a season. The GPS schools all play each other over the course of nine weekends, with one bye each, and the team at the top of the table at the end is the champion. If two sides are level, they share the Premiership. No school has ever lost their opening game and won the title. Current Wallabies centre Len Ikitau came through BBC, as did the legendary Will Genia, former Australia captain James Horwill, and the likes of Tom Banks and the Gordon brothers, Carter and Mason. Rugby league legend Dane Gagai is also among its alumni. Some of the current crop might end up in league, but BBC only play union. The BBC U16s train on the far pitch. Having a Samoa legend like Leo as their head coach is undoubtedly inspiring, as is the presence of Thorn. The New Zealand native moved to Australia with his family when he was young and initially broke into professional rugby league with the Brisbane Broncos before switching into union to play for the All Blacks, going back to league for a couple of years, then finishing his career in union. He's a Kiwi who calls Australia home but it turns out that Thorn is partly Irish too. Last year, his family dug into Thorn's ancestry with one of the online services that traces generations back. He knew he had some English and Scottish roots, correctly assumed he had some Nordic ancestry, but there was also surprise for him. 'Lo and behold, 20% from my mother's side, Irish,' says Thorn with a smile. 'So one-fifth of me is Irish. I was actually pumped when I saw it and I went, 'Maybe that's why I connected so well there.'' Thorn had a huge impact on Leinster in a short space of time. He came in on a three-month contract in 2012 and helped Joe Schmidt's side to the Heineken Cup, as well as leaving a big mark on key players like Johnny Sexton. Thorn raves about Sexton's competitive spirit and how he never allowed standards in Leinster to drop. He's not surprised to see the former Ireland out-half in Australia now with the Lions. Brian O'Driscoll and Brad Thorn with the 2012 Heineken Cup. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo And that time in Leinster was one of his happiest spells in rugby. 'It's one of my favourite times,' says Thorn. 'I played eight games, plus one A game. 'I had a natural connection with the guys. When I turned up, I said to Joe, 'My goal is to give more than what you expect. I want to give more, so I'm here to serve, on and off the field. I wanna contribute and I'm here to give more than what you've asked.' 'I had great friendships with the big names and the academy boys. I just love people and I love seeing people do well. I get more joy out of having an impact on someone where they can achieve and do well.' Leinster needed a big man and Thorn did that job, plus a bit more. He has particularly fond memories of the 'war' against Clermont in the Heineken Cup semi-final in Bordeaux. 'I really loved those guys and loved that time. The coolest thing is I get to be part of history in Leinster for all time now because we won a title. That crew, we got some business done. 'I'll always have fond memories about my time there and I just love those guys. And they probably never heard from me, 'cause I can be a bit like that. 'I just quietly do my thing.' Away from the limelight in Brisbane, that much hasn't changed with Thorn.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rod Thorn gave high praise to young LeBron: "There has never been a 21-year-old player as good as LeBron James. He is the best ever"
Rod Thorn gave high praise to young LeBron: "There has never been a 21-year-old player as good as LeBron James. He is the best ever" originally appeared on Basketball Network. Before LeBron James' 22nd birthday, Rod Thorn could already see greatness written all over him. The long-time NBA front office executive who famously drafted Michael Jordan had watched plenty of stars emerge. However, he believed James was on an entirely different track, someone who could dominate the league for a long time. Advertisement "There has never been a 21-year-old player as good as LeBron James. He is the best ever," Thorn said of James in an interview with David Friedman. "I mean, his all-around game, his great quickness, his explosiveness off the dribble, his understanding of the game, his sight of the floor—there has never been a 21-year-old like him." "He has a chance to be one of the all-time great players before his career is finished," added Thorn. Thorn stopped short of predicting if LBJ could eventually surpass MJ, but he got his message across: The kid from Akron was a totally different beast. LeBron's Year 3 was special At 21, James was already a grizzled veteran. He had three years under his belt and had just carried the Cleveland Cavaliers to their first playoff series victory since 1993! In comparison, at the same age, Jordan was still preparing to leave North Carolina for the NBA through the draft. Advertisement With this in mind, it's easy to see why Thorn spoke so highly of him. The King averaged 31.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and 6.6 assists in the regular season as he led the Cavs to the fourth seed (50-32). He already finished second in MVP voting behind Steve Nash and earned All-NBA First Team honors alongside Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant, Dirk Nowitzki and Shaquille O'Neal. If Bron's regular season was insane by any metric, his postseason performances were not too far behind. James averaged 31 points, eight boards and six dimes across two series and had two triple-doubles in 13 outings. In fact, he managed to pull off this feat in his first playoff game, recording 32 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists while playing the entire 48 minutes. The poise and production James showed in that postseason only strengthened the belief that he was something the league hadn't seen before. He took the defending Eastern Conference champions, the Detroit Pistons, to seven games and nearly willed the Cavs to an upset. No one needed to squint to see what was coming. And to Thorn's credit, he already saw it in full view. Advertisement Related: Rick Fox explains why Kobe never hung out with other teammates: "He was on a course and any minute or day wasted doing something else was going to slow him down getting to that point" MJ and Kobe comparisons Even then, the media has done its best to compare LeBron with the greats of the past, especially Jordan. Thorn was among the few who saw MJ's development as a rookie sensation, so nobody was as qualified to give an opinion. "It's too early to say that (LeBron is going to be better than MJ), but I think that as far as all-around ability and athletic ability, plus size — see, he has size that even Julius (Erving), Michael and Kobe don't have. He's a bigger guy. You're talking about a 6'8", 250-pound guy," stated Thorn. Advertisement Of course, Rod considered Jordan the best of all time and recognized Bryant as the closest to MJ in terms of play style. Still, what he saw from LeBron in 2006 convinced him that he was going to be an all-time great when all is said and done. Fast-forward 19 years, and Thorn's early praise holds up. LeBron has played more seasons than Jordan and Bryant, made more All-NBA teams than anyone in history, and sits atop the league's all-time scoring list. He's won championships in three different cities, remained a top-tier player well into his late 30s and has outlasted most of his peers by nearly a decade. Whether you have him at the top of the list or not, there's no denying LBJ's greatness anymore. The only thing Thorn missed was how long James would keep going. Related: "Michael Jordan absolutely couldn't have played through those cramps" - When Isiah Thomas defended LeBron for sitting out in the 2014 NBA Finals This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jean-Pierre Thorn Dies: French ‘Dare To Struggle, Dare To Win' Director & ACID Org Co-Founder Was 78
French director Jean-Pierre Thorn, who was known for his socially engaged cinema and was also a co-founder of indie cinema org l'ACID, has died at the age of 78. French media reported that Thorn, who was born in January 24, 1947, in Paris, died unexpectedly on July 5. The director and activist was celebrated for his work 'giving pride back to workers and immigrants' as he captured them standing up for their rights. More from Deadline 2025 Deaths Photo Gallery: Hollywood & Media Obituaries 2024 Hollywood & Media Deaths: Photo Gallery & Obituaries Ted Cordes Dies: Longtime Head Of NBC's Broadcast Standards Was 87 Thorn first made his name as a director with the 1968 documentary Dare To Struggle, Dare To Win (Oser lutter, oser vaincre). Capturing a historic strike at the Renault-Flins automobile factory during France's 1968 social protests which saw workers and students unite, it remains one of his best known works at home and internationally to this day. Reminiscing about the making of the film in an interview with the Les Mutins de Pangée audiovisual cooperative in 2023, Thorn said he had felt compelled to capture the workers' side of the protests. 'I said myself we need to have images of the workers' movement. I felt that the barricades in the Latin Quarter weren't enough… it was so extraordinary… ten million strikers, that's huge,' he recounted. 'I became obsessed with the idea of getting inside a factory.' 'There was no video. We shot on 16mm. The challenge was finding cameras and film,' he recalled, noting that the film world was also on strike during this period. 'A group of young cineastes got together to do 'an active strike'… we were around a 100… loosely connected by the fact that we were close to Chris Marker and his work on Far From Vietnam. We pooled our cameras and film and that's how I got started.' Thorn would go on to take a job as a metal worker at the Alsthom transport vehicle factory in the outer Paris suburb of Saint-Ouen, staying there for eight years. During this time, he made the 1973 medium-length film La Grève des ouvriers de Margoline, which translates as 'the Margoline workers' strike', about industrial action by undocumented workers against poor conditions, sparked by a rise in right-wing rhetoric against migrants, as well as Le Dos au mur, capturing industrial action at the Alsthom plant. Thorn branched into fiction in 1990 with Je t'ai dans la peau, starring Solveig Dommartin as a nun who falls in love with a priest and then becomes a union and feminist activist. It premiered in Cannes' now defunct Perspectives cinéma français sidebar. Later credits included the documentary On n'est pas des marques de vélo, which translates as 'we're not makes of bicycle', capturing the birth of the French Hip-hop movement through the case of a young French and Tunisian man threatened with expulsion. Thorn is also celebrated for his support of independent cinema as one of the co-founders of the France's Association for the Diffusion of Independent Cinema (l'ACID). In a press release paying tribute to Thorn, l'ACID recalled how he had been one of 80 signatories of a 1991 text in support of independent cinema and entitled 'Resister', alongside Claudine Bories, Robert Guédiguian and Gérard Mordillat, which acted as the spur for the body's creation. The group secured support from France's National Cinema Centre (CNC) for the creation of l'ACID, which Thorn would preside over from 1992 to 1995. During this time, he also negotiated with the CNC for the creation of the parallel l'ACID section at Cannes, which to this day remains a champion of independent cinema during the festival.'For our association, he represents an anchor in the memory of past and future struggles. Through his films, we're able to not lose sight of why we make films that maintain diversity and preserve our freedom and our autonomy,' wrote l'ACID in it release. Best of Deadline 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery 2025 Deaths Photo Gallery: Hollywood & Media Obituaries 2025 TV Cancellations: Photo Gallery
USA Today
08-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Could a NFC South rookie be lined up for a tough rookie season in 2025?
The 2025 NFL Draft offensive line class was one of the toughest classes in recent memory to comb through and evaluate. The offensive tackle class was full of potential starters, but they also were players who could just as easily move inside to guard. For the New Orleans Saints' top draft choice, Kelvin Banks Jr., he fits into that mold, and it has to be music to the ears of Bucs fans everywhere. For a team that is looking to jumpstart its pass rush unit in 2025, Bleacher Report's Brent Sobelski has some notes that he gathered on the former Texas Longhorn and his scouts. Sobleski explains, "Banks' ability to protect the blind side is critical for all of this to come together, and he's likely to experience plenty of bumps in the road along the way. Bleacher Report scout Brandon Thorn projected the reigning Outland Trophy winner as a guard and saw a couple concern areas with his game. 'Sustain and finishing skills are the biggest questions that I have," Thorn tweeted, "but there is a lot to like.' In the lineman's scouting report, Thorn added, "Banks transitions into his anchor against speed to power on time but can get pressed onto his heels and pried open against the long-arm that exposes closer to average length and lower body strength.'" Banks Jr. could easily have been a top-three pick in the NFL Draft, but fell almost out of the top ten, so it isn't just the media that were hesitant to invest in him. While the Saints clearly have faith in him, Todd Bowles is hoping to give the rookie some baptism by fire when they face ech other twice in 2025. Could he win some matchups against Yaya Diaby and company? Sure, but look for Bowles to overwhelm the rookie tackle from the start in their first matchup to see if he can keep up with it all.
Hypebeast
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hypebeast
Pusha T Shares First Look at Clipse x adidas Samba Collaboration
Name:Clipse x adidas SambaSKU:TBCColorway:TBCRetail Price:TBCRelease Date:TBCRetailers: Clipseandadidascould have a collaborativeSambamodel on the way. Pusha Ttook to his Instagram Stories to share a first look at their upcoming iteration, writing a short caption with 'snow' emojis. The silhouette features an off-white leather base with soft gray leather overlays that offer a complementing hue. The brand's iconic Three Stripes panel insignia arrives in white, while a stamped adidas x Clipse branding is visible on the ankle. Underneath the elongated striped tongue is a boxed logo bearing the word 'Thorn' — likely a nod to his andMalice's last name of Thornton. The sneaker rests on a white midsole and outsole, and tied together with white laces. No additional details, including a possible release date, were revealed. Check out the shoe above and stay tuned for more details. Clipse'sLet God Sort Em Out— their first studio effort in 16 years — drops July 11.
