Background
Thorn, a flanker, was born in Sydney, New South Wales and claimed a total of fifteen international rugby caps for Australia.
Thorn, a flanker, was born in Sydney, New South Wales and claimed a total of fifteen international rugby caps for Australia.
He played in fifteen Test matches and was captaining the national side on thirteen occasions (six Test matches) between 1924 and 1926. Ted made his state representative debut in 1922, appearing three times for the New South Wales Waratahs against the visiting All Blacks for two victories. Thorn made the 1923 New South Wales tour of New Zealand playing in every one of the ten tour matches.
In 1924 when the All Blacks visited Australia, Thorn played in all three matches and in the final match he debuted as captain for the Waratahs, now in the record books as national captain.
In the 1925 season he again captained New South Wales in two Tests against New Zealand, withdrawing with injury from the third match of the series. On the tour to New Zealand later that year he was selected as tour captain and played in the first seven matches before a wrist injury saw him stand down from the Test, passing the captaincy to Tom Lawton.