Thorn joins Reds coaching staff

Editor

World Cup winning lock Brad Thorn has joined the Reds coaching staff as an assistant coach for the remainder of this Super Rugby season.

After more than two decades on the field, Thorn joined Queensland Rugby Union as the Elite Development Squad forwards coach in 2015. 

Thorn will continue to work with the Reds Elite Development Squad, but his new role will see him work more closely with the Super Rugby squad. 

QRU Executive General Manager – Reds, Daniel Herbert said: "Brad has been a welcome addition to Ballymore since joining us late last year. 

"His achievements in sport speak for themselves and the plan was always for Brad to play a role in coaching the Reds after he’d experienced a few months in the coaching environment with our U20's. 

"Not all players make the transition to coaching easily and we wanted to give Brad time to adjust. 

"We are now at a point where Brad feels excited about the opportunity with the Reds and all of us feel he can make a valuable contribution to our Super Rugby program. 

"He will spend the next two weeks coaching those squad members who haven’t travelled to Africa and will join the Reds coaching staff full-time for the remainder of this season, when the main squad returns from the African tour."

Reds Assistant Coach, Brad Thorn said: "I’ve really enjoyed the ability to have a virtual apprenticeship with the U20's and the Reds have been very understanding since I arrived at Ballymore. 

"I now feel I can use my experience to assist this Reds program."

The Brisbane outfit have also announced the signing of Broncos forward Caleb Timu through to the end of 2017. The 22-year-old will join the Reds for training immediately.

He has signed as a loose forward, a position he is familiar with after playing there as a student at St. Joseph’s Nudgee College and for the Queensland and Australian Schoolboys Rugby sides in 2011. The Australian Schoolboys side in 2011 also featured Timu’s new Reds teammates Jake McIntyre, Curtis Browning and Pettowa Paraka.

Although from a Rugby background, Timu signed with the Broncos after high school, where he played for their u20 side. He left league in 2014 returning to the club in late 2015.

"We’re pleased to be able to welcome Caleb (Timu) back to Rugby and to the Reds," Herbert said.

"He is a dynamic footballer and someone we’ve tracked since his high school days. 

"We expect he will offer a lot to our side over the next two years, as we continue to build our program. 

"Caleb will spend the next two weeks working intensively with Brad Thorn to refamiliarise himself with Rugby and will train with the Reds main squad on their return from the African tour."

The majority of the Reds squad is currently in South Africa preparing for its match against the Bulls in Pretoria, but Timu will join his remaining teammates this week to train with coaches Jason Gilmore and Thorn.

"I am pleased to be returning to Rugby and joining the Reds," Timu said.

"I know some of the players from schoolboy Rugby and am looking forward to joining the team. I’m grateful to the Broncos for their understanding and their support of my Rugby ambitions."