Brad Thorn: Rugby legend on the value of hard work, career, 'Champions Do Extra'

A once in a generation player, Brad Thorn has achieved great things on the field. 

He’s arguably the greatest code swapper rugby league and union have ever seen, winning the World Cup with the All Blacks, Crusaders titles, NRL titles, and he represented the Kangaroos and played in State of Origin.  

Thorn’s had an immense amount of success across his 30-year career, and he’s detailed the lessons he’s learned in his new book, ‘Champions Do Extra’.  

The book’s title stems from a sentiment expressed by Thorn’s father when he was younger – encouraging them to take that one extra step when applying themselves to anything. 

“If you ask me who was my best coach, I’d say my dad,” he told Mike Hosking. 

“A lot of it was around mindset, and y’know, having a positive mindset and putting in the work, bringing the work ethic and then being able to have the belief, to having earned the belief to be able to, y’know, achieve the things you want to achieve and the potential you have.”  

While some measure of natural ability is always useful, Thorn believes it's the work you put in that allows you to become great.  

“There’s many times with Richie McCaw, there’s different parts of the game that I didn’t initially think he was natural at,” he explained to Hosking. 

“But he just worked hard, y’know, and you saw those parts of his game develop.” 

“Hard work takes you a long way.”  

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