SA Rugby remembers Godfrey Thorne: 'He was a pillar of strength to his teams'

SA Rugby president Mark Alexander has paid tribute to the late former SARU prop Godfrey Thorne, who died on Saturday.

He was 63.

"Godfrey Thorne made a massive impact on the rugby scene here in South Africa, as player and coach, but he also touched peoples' lives through his big passion, which was teaching," said Alexander.

After his playing days Thorne, who was also known as "Doring" (Afrikaans for thorn), ploughed back into the game he loved so much, mainly through coaching, and in 2001 he was called up to the management team of the erstwhile Super 12 team, the Cats, as assistant coach to Laurie Mains, with Rassie Erasmus, now SA Rugby's director of rugby, as captain of the franchise.

He made his national debut in 1985 at prop for the SARU team, and coached after he hung up his boots, amongst others as assistant coach of Eastern Province with former Springbok head coach Allister Coetzee in 2001, at Currie Cup and Vodacom Cup levels.

"He was a rugby player, a coach, a selector and served in rugby administration - basically every level of the game - and was a pillar of strength at all the teams he was involved with.

"The loss of a member of the rugby family is something that touches all of us involved in the game, and our heartfelt condolences go out to Godfrey's family, friends and other loved ones in this time of grief."