Former All Black Brad Thorn to leave Reds at end of Super Rugby season

Head coach Brad Thorn will leave the Queensland Reds at the end of the season, the franchise said on Tuesday, after a poor start to the Super Rugby campaign.

The former All Blacks forward coached the Reds to a Super Rugby AU title in 2021, but has struggled to turn around their sagging form in the past two seasons.

"It's been an honour to coach Queensland," said the 48-year-old, who has led the Reds since 2018.

"The past six seasons have been equally enjoyable as they've been challenging."

The Reds are currently mid-table but Thorn wants to bow out in style.

"The job's not finished. We've got six games left and then finals - and we've got a plan to get there," he said.

The QRU has today confirmed Brad Thorn will step down as head coach of the Queensland Reds at the end of the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season.READ MORE: https://t.co/m3xMFARcPU#WeStandForQueensland #RedsFamily pic.twitter.com/tB8YGI7BPY

Thorn saw his Reds humbled 52-24 at home by the Brumbies in early April.

Although they picked up a 40-28 win over Moana Pasifika in Samoa last Friday, senior bosses have decided to pull the plug on Thorn's time in charge.

Reds chief executive David Hanham said the New Zealander had done "a great job", while confirming the hunt for his replacement was under way.

During his playing career Thorn was a dual-code star who played international rugby league for Australia before going on to win the 2011 Rugby World Cup title in union with New Zealand.