Thorn the marvel

To finish your playing career with a title is the greatest way to bow out. For a professional athlete to raise the silverware in their final pro appearance is the fairytale ending that so many chase.
This weekend at a picturesque arena in the South West of England, 16,000km from where it all started, 40 year old Bradley Carnegie Thorn will be hoping that there are 2 games left in his legs.  
If Thorn’s Leicester Tigers can cause a boil over and beat the host’s Bath, the Final of the English Premiership in front of 80,000 fans at Twickenham lies in wait.
To be classed as the only All Black that the majority of Australians like probably sits well.
Perhaps it is because he has played league for Australia.
Perhaps it is because at 40 years of age he is still playing professional rugby in one of the toughest competitions in world rugby and the average punter admires that.
Perhaps it’s because off the field he is as much a gentleman as he is warrior on it.
Whatever the reason, the greatest dual international to have played both league and union at the ultimate level could well be lacing the studs for his swan song this Saturday.
I say greatest as who else can compare the achievements that Brad Thorn has achieved in both games.
In league he has played 14 State of Origin games for Queensland and 8 Tests for Australia (Super League included). In the NRL he turned out for the Broncos on 200 occasions across 2 stints with the Brisbane club.
In the 15 man game he has played 59 Tests for the All Blacks, 108 Super Rugby appearances for the Crusaders and the Highlanders and New Zealand NPC games for Canterbury and also Tasman. Add in his time for Fukuoka Blues in Japan, Leinster in Ireland and the current spell with Leicester in the English Premiership, Thorn at the completion of this Saturday’s fixture will have played in at least 440 professional standard, or 1st Class in cricket parlance, matches.  
When you consider that he played no rugby code at all in 2002 while he considered his future, the mind boggles as to his longevity. Taking that year off also speaks volumes of the man himself. After being named in the All Blacks squad at the end of the 2001 season, his debut season in the 15 man game, Thorn declined the offer, which was the dream he was chasing in crossing codes to begin with.
Citing the reason as requiring time to decide what his future held, it is a decision that underpins the makeup of Brad Thorn. Could you imagine Jarryd Hayne turning down the ’49ers if he were to make the roster?
When Thorn moves back to his ‘hometown’ of Brisbane to take up a position with the Reds in a coaching role, he will need to find a home with a huge pool room.
Thorns trophy’s include 3 NRL Premierships and 1 Super League title, a Super Rugby title, Heineken Cup- a prized European Rugby crown, 2 NZ NPC titles and the greatest prize in Rugby, The William Webb Ellis Trophy for the 2011 World Cup, Thorn’s last appearance as an All Black.
At 40 years of age, Thorn isn’t just making the numbers, he is an integral part of the Tigers march to the Premiership. With a dominant performance against the Minor Premiers, Northampton Saints, Leicester has qualified for the finals for the 11th consecutive season and now find theselves one match off a title decider. 

 However in their one meeting this year at The Rec resulted in Bath handing out a 45 to nil drubbing. The Tigers did manage to turn that around with victory over Bath at home in January. That siad they enter this match as the heavy underdogs.
The game is poised to be a great contest, with both sides keen to stamp their tickets to the big dance at Twickenham.

 
It seems only fair that a player as respected as Brad Thorn the fairytale ending plays out. Noone could begrudge the man that.
One things certain, Brad Thorn won’t take a backward step in achieving his dream and he will do everything to ensure this weekend is the penultimate game of his playing career.
It seems apt that by reversing his initials, Thorn will be TCB.

BootNote: Leicester went down 45-10 to Bath to end Thorn’s premiership career.

There were 2 more games in the legs. Proving he just loves the game he agreed to play for The Barbarians in the it match against an England squad at Twickenham the day after the Premiership decider. 

Unfortunately it was another heavy defeat and Thorn also received a yellow card in the match.

Albion Park preview 16/5/15

PREVIEW

With three races carrying Group 2 status and one at Listed level, Saturday’s Albion Park program has a bit to offer.

Unfortunately, the Seymour Nursery Pace for 3YO’s has attracted just 7 acceptors (6 starters with a scratching already) in the colts & geldings and the fillies could not achieve a full field either with 11 acceptors (10 starters with a scratching).

The third of the G2 events but first set  down for decision is the third and final instalment of the Cups Carnival races that have been held in March, April and May.

Cups Carnival Final

Heats were held and the winners of those were Nureyev for Brisbane trainer/driver power couple Pete McMullen and Chantal Turpin and the NSW visitor Scotlynn Jiggs which is trained and driven by Dean Cernovskis. Both horses managed to lead all the way in their wins and with barriers 1 & 3 respectively the chance of an early speed duel may not eventuate.

Nureyev looks to be the early leader here, although Scotlynn Jiggs only did what he had to to find the front in his heat win. He may be stoked up to try to cross the 2, Stingray, to then give himself the option of handing over the chair.

With Stingray drawn between these two, his driver Kelli Dawson might want to hold the early position and then hand over. Those horses drawn on the 2nd line in the capacity field will be hoping for the early burn, but it might not come, which would suggest they will have to get moving at some point to get into the race.

Alleluia has managed to run 2nd in both Cup Finals and after running 2nd in the heat of this series behind Nureyev will be hoping to go one better. Nureyev drifted out slightly in the run to the line and it may have cost Alleluia some momentum as he got going again just short of the line, when the race was already gone. Chattanoogachoochoo was the victor of the April Stayers Cup and draws tricky in gate 7 and may just have to cover too much ground in getting into this race. He was finishing off nicely out wide without looking to have been fully extended in the same above mentioned heat last week.

The regally bred Epaulette finished 4th in Scotlynn Jiggs Heat however he was only beaten 1.5m. He was sitting last at the 600m and unofficially timed in a 27.5 sec closing quarter, four wide. Also has the Luke McCarthy touch coming on this week. This meeting last year saw McCarthy land 5 of the races on the card.

Five Card Draw ran 6th in the heat to scrape into the final, but only beaten 6.9m. He was put on an early move and raced the last 1200m outside of Scotlynn Jiggs. I liked this run for the fact he was on a 24hr backup, having won a race at Albion Park last Friday. 

Selections  9-13-10-1-8

Invest Number 9 win

I think Alleluia can finally crack one of these G2 finals. Currently $5 available with UBET. Also an acid test here as if he can’t take this out, his Qld Winter Carnival aspirations may not bear fruit. There will also be the lure of the big prize money with only a career and not metropolitan penalty that is the carrot for all in the race. Five Card Draw can run a bold race despite the awkward draw, while Epaulette is the pre-post favourite and a win would not surprise.

Best roughie- Major Moment. Every likelihood to be behind the leader the trip and if can muster anything along the sprint lane a place is achievable. $5 the place shown with Ladbrokes if you can get it looks very appealing.

In last years Premiers Cup Major Moment capitalised on Five Card Draw (2nd) and Alleluia (3rd) carving each other to gain a sprint lane win. De Ja Vu?

Nursery Pace Fillies Final

Smooth Showgirl was the prelude winner here on Tuesday in impressive fashion and will look to become the first winner of the 2 and 3yo Nursery Pace Finals, ironically on the last running of the Series.

The Belinda McCarthy trained filly from NSW will look to win in similar fashion to Tuesday after once again drawing the second line. Allowed to balance up before being sent on a three wide move to control the race from the chair, she was a touch above her rivals.

Bettor Promise ran as the favourite in the prelude, led and was collared by Smooth Showgirl. Bettor Promise, in being saved for this series was first up for a month with some moderate trial performances in between. Tuesday’s hitout should tighten her up and she may well be able to take the prize.

The stalemate of Bettor Promise, Bettorthanspecial finished 3rd in the prelude after sitting at the tail of the field for the majority of the race. She hit the line nicely and when saved for one sprint, has an electric turn of hoof.

The chances of Bettorthanspecial in this final hinge on the other NSW visitor Butterfly Princess. After a poor draw in the prelude, the Colin McDowell trained filly has drawn the ace for the final. Possessing gate speed, they should be looking to hold the inside advantage. How long they can maintain that position remains the key to the race. Should they look to hold this brings Bettorthanspecial into calculations as she will then have first crack at the passing lane.

Should Butterfly Princess hand over early, it will make it that little bit tougher, being entrenched 3 back the noodles for Bettorthanspecial.

If Smooth Showgirl manages to find the top after a 3 wide mid race move, expect Feel The Faith to look to assume the chair, however should she get there, I doubt if she is quite up to winning on current form.

Selections 8-9-13-5

Invest Number 8 win

The danger to Smooth Showgirl taking this is the mid-race pace and pressure. The Luke McCarthy show can roll on here and it is easily conceivable that he can collect all three G2s on the night.

I’m going to go with Bettorthanspecial. The McDowell team like to be in in the action and I envisage them holding top which will allow Bettorthanspecial an economical trip and the chance to unleash if taken to the lane.

Feel The Faith can hang on for some place money, while Bettor Promise might find it difficult to get a shot at them throughout.

Nursery Pace Colts & Geldings Final 

For a Group 2 event to attract such a small field is hard to fathom. Nonetheless there is a total purse of $75k up for grabs here with 6 declared starters to battle it out.

Birdy Mach does look to have a stranglehold on the race following his emphatic prelude victory here on Tuesday. First up for 5 months he made light work of his rivals scoring a convincing 11m win with a brisk last 800m section of 55.5.

Quite simply from what we saw on Tuesday, the battle for 2nd is what might the other drivers will be contesting.

Last years Qld 2YO of the year A Good Chance was brave in running 2nd after having to sit outside Birdy Mach in the prelude. He will have to do it tough again, having drawn to the outside of that fellow.

Admiral Bronski is not suited by the distance with just 1 win from 7 tries at the middle distance. That win however was in the G2 Breeders Classic. 

Birdy Mach should win. 

That said he has only had 2 starts since August last year. One was in December where he finished last after breaking gait twice in running and being stood down to trial. The other on Tuesday in the prelude to this. At about the 100-150m point he did race 

roughly and did not look fully comfortable in his stride. If any of the others can be close enough to apply some pressure, there just may be a chink to exploit. Although in astute hands, corrections to negate this may have occurred?

If the race transpires into a single file procession, then it will most likely mean A Good Chance has to do the bullocking work.

Giving Admiral Bronski a cosy trip following up A Good Chance with one run to make sees him fill second place for mine, with A Good Chance to run 3rd. Corporal Luna can weigh in with the other two runners outclassed here.

Selections 4-6-5-2

Invest 4-6-5 straight trifecta. 

Parkrun 63

Stark contrasts is the most apt way to describe my first Parkrun away from my home Parkrun.

Think of everything that makes the Wynnum Parkrun course and what I love about it, invert it and you have the Bath Skyline Parkrun. Moreton Bay and its glorious colourful sunrise, replaced by a heavily wooded forest that I was waiting for Robin Hood to suddenly appear from. Flat and even in its entirety versus constantly changing surfaces and gradients. 

Area adjacent to the starting funnel. Own image.

  

Opposites attract and I was quite excited for what other little surprises lay ahead. The only constant in the two was the smiling faces of the volunteers and the runners. Like minded people enjoying some Saturday morning social fun with a little trundle in between. The great thing that is Parkrun.

Having shifted to Old Blighty for a work/life sabbatical, exploring opportunities that may present career wise and to see more of the world, I made sure that my running kit was in the backpack on departure. I had to ensure my usual Saturday morning fix continued.

With research undertaken of course layout, starting time, venue location and directions complete, I lay my kit out on Friday night ready for my Saturday morning ritual to start on the other side of the world.

First light entered my eyelids and I arose with a little more spring in my step than the previous month of Saturday’s that have been filled with either hangovers of people wanting to have ‘one last drink before you go’ or physical work involved in preparing for 6 months away from your home.

Google Maps had given me the best route from our studio apartment to the course. 3.7km seemed like it would be a nice walk to warmup for the run that lay ahead. The handy little device told me it would take 46 minutes to walk. Now I know that the English have a reputation with us Aussies for being slow at things but 46 minutes! 

So off I set for the 3,700 metre warmup. I covered the first 700 metres with ease and had a quiet chuckle in the crisp morning air about what I would do with the 20 odd minutes I would have spare when I arrived.

OUCH.

I rounded a corner and what lay ahead of me certainly took the wind out of my plucky sails.

Like a forlorn explorer who has misread their coordinates, as far as I could see the road ascended. Too late now if I wanted Parkrun. With Yazz and the Plastic Population playing on my subconscious, the only way was up.

Hindsight they say is a wonderful thing. One should have joined the dots that Bath Skyline Run would indicate that the course would incorporate an area across the skyline of one of the seven hills that surround the Unesco heritage listed city of Bath. Live and learn.

I arrived at the course in 40 minutes (haha Google) and looked for the best place to recover in readiness for the 5km run I had come here for and was yet to complete.

There were few people at the starting area at this point. Luckily for me as it meant I did not have to hide the grimaced face distortions as I stretched and re-inflated my lungs. Nor quieten the moans of pain from the burning heat invading my calf muscles.

Slowly more people began to arrive and soon the starting directions were given. The starting funnel is in a wooded area and we were soon on the way.

Starting funnel area. Own image.

  

A left turn, then a right turn and then I realised that having only ever taken part in Parkrun at my home Wynnum course, that there are different landscapes, gradients and course types.

A beautiful Skyline view over Bath unfolded before me (who would have thought?) and then a set of stairs that led to an opening of the trail into a field. 

Image taken from Bath Skyline Facebook page.

  

Following the path through more wooded forest the course then entered a farmers field. My usual avoidance of sea grass along the esplanade was replaced by a duck and weave to avoid the sheep dung. 

The hardest part about the run was the crisp air burning my lungs, a sensation I have not encountered since my rugby days training in the sub-zero night air. To think that the weather really was not that cold, says something about how one’s body acclimatises to its environment.

The course then tracked back down towards what was the starting area to the finishing funnel where the Saturday morning enjoyment had started what I hoped was around 26 minutes prior.

Wooded forest, open fields, inclines, uneven trails muddied by the British climate and gravel roads. The Bath Skyline run had it all and I am glad that it will be my interim ‘home’ Parkrun while I decide which direction my life and career shall take next.

Image taken from Bath Skyline Facebook page.

  

As for my finishing time. Of course after approaching the finish line I realised that my barcode was in the pocket of the shorts that are in the suitcase back at the storage unit in Australia. 

With new barcodes printed, this Saturday will be my ‘first’ Parkrun away from the glistening morning waters of Wynnum.

Wynnum morning, own image.