Peter Thorburn facts for kids
.jpg)
Thorburn in 2013
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Birth name | Peter Robert Tyler Thorburn | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 19 March 1939 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Auckland, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 26 January 2021 (aged 81) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of death | Takapuna, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Peter Robert Tyler Thorburn (19 March 1939 – 26 January 2021) was a famous New Zealand rugby union player and coach. He played as a number eight for Auckland from 1965 to 1970.
After playing, he became a coach. He coached teams like North Harbour and the New Zealand national rugby sevens team. He also coached in England for Bristol Rugby. Later, he led the United States national rugby union team to the 2007 Rugby World Cup. Peter Thorburn also helped choose players for the All Blacks.
Contents
Early Life and Rugby Playing Days
Peter Thorburn was born in Auckland, New Zealand, on 19 March 1939. He went to primary schools in Papakura, Patea, and Gladstone. Later, he attended Mount Albert Grammar School. From 1956 to 1959, he learned to be a pharmacist.
In 1965, Thorburn started playing for Auckland. He played 40 games for the team. His last game with Auckland was in 1970.
Coaching Rugby Teams
After he stopped playing, Peter Thorburn became a rugby coach.
Coaching North Harbour and New Zealand Sevens
He coached the North Harbour rugby team from 1985 to 1991. He was very proud when North Harbour moved up to Division One. This happened in only their third season.
At the same time, he coached the New Zealand national rugby sevens team. He coached them from 1988 to 1990. He also briefly coached the sevens team again in 1993.
Choosing Players for the All Blacks
Peter Thorburn was a selector for the All Blacks. This means he helped choose which players would be on the team. His first time as a selector was from 1992 to 1994. He worked with coach Laurie Mains.
He became a selector for the All Blacks again from 2000 to 2001. This time, Wayne Smith was the coach. Thorburn said that his past job as a rugby commentator would not affect his choices. He believed it was unfair to criticize players publicly.
Coaching in England: Bristol Rugby
In 2001, Thorburn became the Director of Rugby at Bristol Rugby in England. The team did well that season. They reached the final of a big championship. They also qualified for the Heineken Cup.
He then became the head coach of Bristol Rugby. However, the team was moved down from the top league in 2003. After this, he decided to leave the club and return to New Zealand.
Coaching the USA National Team
In April 2006, Peter Thorburn became the coach for the United States national rugby union team. His job was to help them qualify for the 2007 Rugby World Cup. The team played very well, so his contract was extended. He coached them through the World Cup itself.
The USA team was in a tough group at the World Cup. They lost to England 10–28, which was a good effort. They lost their other games too, but earned a bonus point against Samoa. Thorburn did not blame the busy game schedule for their losses.
Views on Rugby and Society
In 2009, Peter Thorburn shared his thoughts on fairness in rugby. He believed that rugby had done a lot to help people from different backgrounds get along. He felt it was unfair to say that rugby had more problems than other parts of society.
Peter Thorburn's Life Outside Rugby
Peter Thorburn worked at a company called Kempthorne Prosser from 1968 to 1973. In 1974, he started his own company. It was called Pharmaceutical Sales and Marketing (PSM) Ltd. He sold PSM in 1987 but stayed as a manager for five more years.
He had two children, Julie and Lee. His first wife, Jocelyn, passed away in 1991. He later remarried to Sarnia. They moved to Omaha Beach in the late 1990s.
After he stopped coaching, Thorburn appeared on Radio Sport every week. He also wrote for a blog. Besides rugby, he loved horse racing. Two of his horses, Calm Harbour and Greene Street, won big races.
In 2013, Peter Thorburn received an important award. He was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM). This award was for his great contributions to rugby.
Peter Thorburn passed away on 26 January 2021 at North Shore Hospital in Takapuna. He was 81 years old. His funeral was held at North Harbour Stadium four days later.
