John Thornett
| Full name | John Edward Thornett | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 30 March 1935 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Griffith | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Sydney Boys High School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Amateur team(s) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Years | Team | Apps | (Points) |
| Provincial / State sides | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Points) |
| 1955–66 | NSW | 21 | () |
| National team(s) | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Points) |
| 1955–1967 |
 Australia
|
137 | 3 |
John Edward Thornett, MBE (born 30 March 1935) is a former Australian rugby union player, who played 37 Tests for Australia between 1955 and 1967 and made an additional 77 representative match appearances. He captained Australia in 16 Test matches and on an additional 47 tour matches on the eight international rugby tours he made with Wallaby squads.
Thornett was born in Sydney, and educated at Sydney Boys High School, graduating in 1951, where he was school Captain, a champion swimmer, rowed in the 1st VIII, and captained the rugby 1st XV alongside another champion swimmer and rugby great, Colin Smee. His brothers Dick and Ken were also champion sportsmen and all three brothers played water polo for the Bronte Water Polo Club. John represented New South Wales at water polo in the mid to late 1950s while Dick went on to represent for Australia at the Olympics in water polo. Dick was a triple-international also representing Australia in both rugby codes while Ken represented nationally at rugby league.
John Thornett's club rugby was played with both Sydney University and the Northern Suburbs Rugby Club. 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 made his representative debut for Australia touring to New Zealand and playing in all three Tests. The following year he again toured with the Australian Universities side, going to Japan.
In 1956 he appeared for the Waratahs against the visiting Springboks and also played in both Tests. He made the 1957–58 Australia rugby union tour of Britain, Ireland and France and played in four of the five Tests. In 1958 he made his second tour of New Zealand for two test appearances including an unexpected victory in the 2nd Test in Christchurch. He made further Test appearances in 1959 (twice against the British Lions) and in 1962 (twice against Fiji). On the 1961 tour of South Africa captained by Ken Catchpole, Thornett played in both tests and made his debut as Australian captain in a tour match against South-West Africa where a draw was achieved.
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