John Thornett
Encyclopedia
John Thornett is a former Australia
n rugby union
player, having played 37 Tests for Australia
between 1955 and 1967. He captained Australia on four of the eight occasions that he went on tour.
Thornett was born in Sydney
, and was educated at Sydney Boys High School
where he was School Captain, a champion swimmer, crewed in the Eight, and also captained the rugby firsts alongside another champion swimmer and rugby great, Colin Smee. John went on to play rugby for both the Sydney University and Northern Suburbs clubs. 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 debuted for Australia. The following year he again toured with the Australian Universities side, going to Japan
. He played for the Wallabies and went on numerous tours all through the late fifties and sixties.
He was the second Australian player, after Nicholas Shehadie
, to play 100 games for his country.http://www.mosmanis.info/walloffame/web/sportsperson.php?id=40 He also represented New South Wales
at water polo
in the mid to late 1950s. His brothers Dick
and Ken were also champion sportsmen. Dick represented for Australia at water polo and both rugby codes while Ken represented at rugby league.
In 2005 he was honoured as one of the inaugural five inductees into the Australian Rugby Union
Hall of Fame.. Upon his induction Australian Rugby Union
President Paul McLean referred to Thornett's name as: "synonymous with Australian pride and great leadership". His portrait hangs in the offices of the Australian Rugby Union.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player, having played 37 Tests for Australia
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
between 1955 and 1967. He captained Australia on four of the eight occasions that he went on tour.
Thornett was born in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, and was educated at Sydney Boys High School
Sydney Boys High School
Sydney Boys High School is an academically selective public secondary school for boys, located in the City of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, with 1,180 students, from years 7 to 12...
where he was School Captain, a champion swimmer, crewed in the Eight, and also captained the rugby firsts alongside another champion swimmer and rugby great, Colin Smee. John went on to play rugby for both the Sydney University and Northern Suburbs clubs. In 1954 he toured with the Australian Universities team to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. In 1955 he first played for New South Wales. That same year he debuted for Australia. The following year he again toured with the Australian Universities side, going to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. He played for the Wallabies and went on numerous tours all through the late fifties and sixties.
He was the second Australian player, after Nicholas Shehadie
Nicholas Shehadie
Sir Nicholas Michael Shehadie, AC, OBE KStJ is the former Lord Mayor of Sydney and a former national representative rugby union captain, who made thirty career Test appearances...
, to play 100 games for his country.http://www.mosmanis.info/walloffame/web/sportsperson.php?id=40 He also represented New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
at water polo
Water polo
Water polo is a team water sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Game play involves swimming, treading water , players passing the ball while being defended by opponents, and scoring by throwing into a...
in the mid to late 1950s. His brothers Dick
Dick Thornett
Richard Norman "Dick" Thornett was one of five Australians to have represented their country in three sports...
and Ken were also champion sportsmen. Dick represented for Australia at water polo and both rugby codes while Ken represented at rugby league.
In 2005 he was honoured as one of the inaugural five inductees into the Australian Rugby Union
Australian Rugby Union
The Australian Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Australia. It was founded in 1949 and is a member of the International Rugby Board the sport's governing body. It consists of eight member unions, representing each state and territory...
Hall of Fame.. Upon his induction Australian Rugby Union
Australian Rugby Union
The Australian Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Australia. It was founded in 1949 and is a member of the International Rugby Board the sport's governing body. It consists of eight member unions, representing each state and territory...
President Paul McLean referred to Thornett's name as: "synonymous with Australian pride and great leadership". His portrait hangs in the offices of the Australian Rugby Union.