John Thornett

Last updated

John Thornett
MBE
Birth nameJohn Edward Thornett
Date of birth(1935-03-30)30 March 1935
Place of birth Paddington
Date of death4 January 2019(2019-01-04) (aged 83)
Place of death Batemans Bay, New South Wales
School Sydney Boys High School [1]
Children5
Rugby union career
Position(s) Flanker, 2nd row, front row
Amateur team(s)
YearsTeamApps(Points)
Sydney University Football Club ()
– Northern Suburbs ()
Provincial / State sides
YearsTeamApps(Points)
1955–66 NSW 21 ()
International career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
1955–1967 Australia 37 (3)

John Edward Thornett, MBE [2] (30 March 1935 – 4 January 2019) was an Australian rugby union player, who played 37 Tests for Australia between 1955 and 1967 and made an additional 77 representative match appearances. He captained Australia in 16 Test matches and on an additional 47 tour matches on the eight international rugby tours he made with Wallaby squads.

Contents

Early life and sporting family

Thornett was born in Sydney, [3] and educated at Sydney Boys High School, graduating in 1951, [4] where he was school Captain, a champion swimmer, rowed in the 1st VIII, and captained the rugby 1st XV alongside another champion swimmer and rugby great, Colin Smee. His brothers Dick and Ken were also champion sportsmen and all three brothers played water polo for the Bronte Water Polo Club. John represented New South Wales at water polo in the mid to late 1950s while Dick went on to represent Australia at the Olympics in water polo. Dick was a triple-international also representing Australia in both rugby codes while Ken represented nationally at rugby league.

Water Polo career

John also competed for Bronte Swimming Club before being coaxed into playing water polo for the newly formed Bronte Amateur Water Polo Club in season 1951/52. Representing Bronte, John was selected at the age of 18 in the NSW State water polo team in 1954 where he competed at the Australian Water Polo Championships in Sydney. John also represented NSW on three other occasions at the Australian Water Polo Championships in Melbourne (1955), Perth (1959) and Melbourne (1960). [5] He was a member of Bronte’s inaugural 1st Grade water polo winning team in the NSWAWPA Premiership season of 1958/59, which they repeated again in 1959/60, 1960/61 and 1961/62. John was also actively involved with the NSWAWPA where he worked as Hon. Registrar and Treasurer, but despite focusing on rugby union John remained a loyal and active club member with Bronte AWPC until 1970.

Rugby career

John Thornett's club rugby was played with both Sydney University and the Northern Suburbs Rugby Club. In 1954 he toured with the Australian Universities team to New Zealand. In 1955 he first played for New South Wales. That same year he made his representative debut for Australia touring to New Zealand and playing in all three Tests. [6] The following year he again toured with the Australian Universities side, going to Japan.

In 1956 he appeared for the Waratahs against the visiting Springboks and also played in both Tests. He made the 1957–58 Australia rugby union tour of Britain, Ireland and France and played in four of the five Tests. In 1958 he made his second tour of New Zealand for two test appearances including an unexpected victory in the 2nd Test in Christchurch. He made further Test appearances in 1959 (twice against the British Lions) and in 1962 (twice against Fiji). On the 1961 tour of South Africa captained by Ken Catchpole, Thornett played in both tests and made his debut as Australian captain in a tour match against South-West Africa where a draw was achieved. [1]

From 1963 to 1967 Thornett was entrenched as Australia's leader captaining the Wallabies more times than any player to that point in Australia's rugby history. By this point in his career and with his pace slowing, Thornett had moved from flanker to second-row and then settled into the front-row. He captained the Wallabies on the 1962 tour of New Zealand playing in all three Tests and in 11 of the total 13 matches. In 1963 he captained Australia to an 18–9 victory in a one-off Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground against England. [7] Then in 1963 he led the Wallabies on a 24 match tour of South Africa, playing in 16 of the matches including the drawn four Test match series – a highlight of Australia's dour international record over the 50s and 60s. He played in all eight matches of the 1964 tour to New Zealand, including three Tests and then in 1965 he led New South Wales and Australia (twice) to victory over the visiting Springboks, followed the next year by matches at home against the British Lions.

Thornett's rugby career concluded at the end of the 1966–67 Australia rugby union tour of Britain, Ireland and France which he captained. A case of impetigo affected his form and he selected himself out of contention for the four Tests against the Home Nations but played in the final Test against the French at Stade Colombes before making a fitting ceremonial farewell match against the Barbarians. All told Thornett played 114 matches for Australia, 37 of them Test matches. He went on eight overseas tours with the Wallabies and on four of those (1962,1963,1964 & 1967) he was the squad and Test leader. He captained his country in 16 Tests and 47 other matches.

Reputation

Max Howell quotes Thornett whose writings were published in The World of Rugby (1967), "Above all, rugby is an amateur game played by men who should always stand for the highest standards of sportsmanship. By amateur I do not mean that rugby players are not paid for playing the game. There is far more to being an amateur than the money factor. The amateur spirit to me is a state of mind about how you approach a match in the field". [1] Bill McLaughlin described Thornett in that same publication, "He is quiet by nature, but a very staunch character with the vision to see beyond Sydney football grounds and take in the overall international picture in rugby. I doubt if he has ever failed to do anything asked of him if he thought it would help rugby – and these demands have been considerable." [1]

Howell acclaims Thornett as arguably the greatest captain Australia ever had and describes him thus "His players followed him because they knew he had the experience, and that he was a man of sterling character and high ethics.He was rarely the most brilliant man on the team, but rather the essential cog in the machine. Men followed him into battle because he was solid, dependable, unwavering, a man of undoubted modesty and tangible principles. They all knew he was a fine human being." [1]

Accolades

Thornett was the second Australian player, after Nicholas Shehadie, to play 100 games for his country. [8] He was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 1966 New Year Honours "for services to Rugby Union football in the State of New South Wales", [9] and inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1985. [2] [10] He received an Australian Sports Medal in 2000. [11] In 2005 he was honoured as one of the inaugural five inductees into the Australian Rugby Union Hall of Fame. [12] Upon his induction the Australian Rugby Union president, Paul McLean, referred to Thornett's name as: "synonymous with Australian pride and great leadership". [12] Thornett was additionally honoured by the International Rugby Board in 2013 with induction into the IRB Hall of Fame. [13] His portrait hangs in the offices of the Australian Rugby Union.

Thornett died on 4 January 2019 at a nursing home in Batemans Bay with his wife, Vivienne, by his side. [14]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australia national rugby union team</span>

The Australia men's national rugby union team, nicknamed the Wallabies, is the representative men's national team in the sport of rugby union for the nation of Australia. The team first played at Sydney in 1899, winning their first test match against the touring British Isles team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cyril Towers</span> Rugby player

Cyril Towers was an Australian rugby union player, a state and national representative centre who made 57 appearances for the Wallabies, played in 19 Test matches and captained the national team on three occasions in 1937.

Kenneth William Catchpole was an Australian rugby union footballer. A state and national representative half-back, he played twenty-seven matches for Australia, thirteen as captain. Catchpole rose through the ranks at the Randwick club as a young man, before making his debut for New South Wales at only 19 years of age, then captaining Australia at age 21. He is considered one of Australia's greatest rugby scrumhalves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicholas Shehadie</span> Australian rugby player (1926–2018)

Sir Nicholas Michael Shehadie, was a Lord Mayor of Sydney (1973–1975) and national representative rugby union captain, who made thirty career test appearances for Australia between 1947 and 1958. He was President of the Australia Rugby Union from 1980 to 1987; in that role he pushed for and succeeded in persuading the International Rugby Board to launch the Rugby World Cup. He is an inductee into both the Australian Rugby Union Hall of Fame and the IRB Hall of Fame.

Richard Norman Thornett was one of five Australians to have represented their country in three sports. He was an Olympic water polo player before becoming a rugby league and rugby union player – a dual code international representative.

Trevor Allan was an Australian dual-code rugby international who captained Australia in rugby union before switching to rugby league with English club Leigh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ken Thornett</span> Australian RL coach and former Australia international rugby league footballer

Ken Thornett, also known by the nickname of "The Mayor of Parramatta", was an Australian rugby league fullback. He represented the Kangaroos in twelve Tests during 1963 and 1964 and on the off-season Kangaroo Tour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnnie Wallace</span> Rugby player

Arthur Cooper "Johnnie" Wallace was an Australian rugby union player, a state and national representative three-quarter who captained the Waratahs on 25 occasions in the 1920s as well as representing Scotland early in his career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Lawton Snr</span> Rugby player

Tom Lawton Snr was an Australian rugby union player, a state and national representative five-eighth who made 44 appearances for the Wallabies, played in 14 Test matches and captained the national side on ten occasions.

Colin "Col" Windon, was a rugby union player and soldier who captained Australia – the Wallabies – in two Test matches in 1951. By age 18 Windon was playing at flanker for his club Randwick in Sydney's Shute Shield. After serving with the Second Australian Imperial Force in the Pacific Theatre during the Second World War, Windon resumed his rugby career in 1946. He was first selected for Australia for their tour of New Zealand that year. Despite the Wallabies losing both their Tests on tour, Windon impressed with his play.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Solomon (rugby union)</span> Australian rugby union player (1929–2020)

Herbert John Solomon was an Australian rugby union player, a state and national representative versatile back who captained the Wallabies in eight Tests in the 1950s and led the touring squads to New Zealand and South Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Shaw (rugby union)</span> Rugby player

Anthony Alexander Shaw is an Australian former rugby union player. A Queensland state and national representative flanker, Shaw captained the national side consistently from 1978 to 1982.

Between October 1966 and March 1967 the Australia national rugby union team – the Wallabies – conducted a world tour on which they played five Tests and thirty-one minor tour matches. Under the captaincy of John Thornett they toured UK, Ireland, France and Canada winning nineteen matches, losing fourteen and drawing three. At one stage they failed to win in four successive matches although in the Test match against England they gave the home side its heaviest defeat in 16 years. The tour marked the climax of the successful "Thornett Era" of Australian Rugby, buoyed by the leadership skills of skipper John Thornett and the outstanding abilities of greats of the game like Ken Catchpole, Peter Johnson and Rob Heming. Dick Marks and Peter Crittle also toured and would later become among the most influential administrators of Australian rugby.

Alexander William Ross was an Australian state and national representative rugby union player who captained the Wallabies in thirteen Test matches in 1933-34.

Tony Miller MBE, (1929–88) was an Australian rugby union footballer and coach, A state and national representative second-row forward, he played forty-one Test matches for Australia in a representative career spanning sixteen seasons. His age at 38 years, 113 days at the time of his last Wallaby appearance stands as the Australian Test record for the oldest player. His club career spanned an extraordinary twenty-three years. He is an inductee to the Australian Rugby Union Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Lenehan</span> Australian rugby union player (1938–2022)

James Kenneth Michael Lenehan was an Australian rugby union footballer. A state and national representative versatile back, he played twenty-four Test matches for Australia, once as captain. His national representative career spanned a ten-year period during which time he made two grand Wallaby tours to the northern hemisphere and Home Nations and numerous appearances against New Zealand and South Africa.

Gregory Victor Davis was a New Zealand born, national representative rugby union player for Australia. He played at flanker and made seven international tours with Wallaby squads. He was the Australian national captain in 47 matches from 1969 to 1972 and led the Wallaby side on three overseas tours.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Johnson (rugby union)</span> Rugby player

Peter George Johnson was an Australian international rugby union player. He enjoyed a long state and international career throughout the 1960s and made 92 national appearances for his country. He captained the Australian side in five Test matches.

Geoffrey Arnold Shaw is an Australian former national representative rugby union player who played for and captained the Wallabies. He made state representative appearances for both New South Wales and Queensland over an eleven-year period from 1969.

Richard James Pickett Marks is an Australian former rugby union footballer, noted rugby administrator and author. He played 17 Tests for Australia between 1962 and 1967, and was a captain of Queensland, for whom he played from 1962 to 1972. He served as national coaching director from 1974 to 1995, and was a leading figure in lifting the standard of Australian rugby. He also served on the Board of Queensland Rugby and was an inaugural member of rugby's International Technical Committee and drafter of the Game’s Charter. He received the Joe French Award for his contributions to Australian rugby in 2014, and remains active in debates on governance of Australian rugby. In 2020, he was inducted into the Queensland Sport Hall of Fame. In 2024, he was honoured with a Member of the Order of Australia award for significant service to rugby as a player, coach, and administrator. He is the grandfather of Queensland Reds player Curtis Browning.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Howell pp182-184
  2. 1 2 "Thornett, John Edward, MBE". It's an Honour. Archived from the original on 5 January 2019. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
  3. ↑ "2013 Inductee: John Thornett". World Rugby. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  4. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 March 2012. Retrieved 2 June 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. ↑ New South Wales Amateur Water Polo Association Annual Reports for 1953/54, 1954/55, 1958/59 & 1959/60.
  6. ↑ "Rugby Union - ESPN Scrum - Statsguru - Player analysis - John Thornett - Test matches". ESPN scrum. Archived from the original on 26 October 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
  7. ↑ Stats Guru Archived 26 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine .
  8. ↑ Archived article.
  9. ↑ United Kingdom list: "No. 43854". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 1965. p. 23.
  10. ↑ "John Thornett". Sport Australia Hall of Fame. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  11. ↑ "Thornett, John: Australian Sports Medal". It's an Honour. Archived from the original on 5 January 2019. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
  12. 1 2 "Thornett, John ARU Hall of Fame". aru.rugby.com.au. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  13. ↑ "Legends inducted into IRB Hall of Fame" (Press release). International Rugby Board. 18 November 2013. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  14. ↑ Walton, Darren (4 January 2019). "Ex-Wallaby captain John Thornett dies". Illawarra Mercury. Retrieved 4 January 2019.

Published sources

Preceded by Australian national rugby union captain
1963–1967		Succeeded by
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.