All Blacks: Thorn, McAlister heading overseas

Brad Thorn. Photo / Getty Images

All Blacks duo Brad Thorn and Luke McAlister have both announced they will be playing their rugby overseas next season.

Crusaders lock Thorn has signed a contract to play in Japan after this year's World Cup while Blues second five-eighth McAlister has signed a three-year contract with European champions Toulouse.

Thorn, 36, a key component of the All Blacks' engine room for 50 tests, has signed a two-year deal with Japanese club Fukuoka Sanix Blues which takes effect from the end of the 2011 season, the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) said today.

All Blacks coach Graham Henry said Thorn was "one of a kind, a special man and a special All Black."

"He is a tower of strength to the All Blacks and New Zealand rugby and is the ultimate professional - professionalism which has been honed over 17 years of top-level football.

"On the field he has a hard edge, both physically and mentally, and he gives his all to his team-mates. Off field, he unobtrusively ensures others are progressing well. He is an inspiration," Henry said.

Thorn, whose uncompromising style has made him a favourite of the fans, first made a name for himself with the Australian National Rugby League team, the Brisbane Broncos, before switching codes after seven seasons to play rugby in New Zealand in 2001.

He was first picked for the All Blacks at the end of that year but withdrew from the team so that he could take time to decide on his sporting future.

After taking a year off from sport, he returned to the rugby field and was again selected for the All Blacks in 2003, playing 12 tests.

After a second stint in rugby league from 2005 to 2007, he returned to the All Blacks in 2008 and has been a mainstay in the second row ever since.

Some of his best performances came during a 19-12 win over Wales in Cardiff in 2009 and a hard-edged effort in last year's 32-12 opening Tri Nations win over South Africa.

"On behalf of the All Blacks, I congratulate him on what he has achieved - and will continue to achieve - for Crusaders and All Blacks rugby," Henry said.

"The remarkable thing is at 36 years young he is still improving and, knowing Brad, he will continue to improve. He will go to Japan next year with our very best wishes."

27-year-old McAlister has 30 caps for the All Blacks and played in the 2007 World Cup.

He returned to the Blues after a two-year spell with English side Sale between 2007 and 2009.

McAlister is among four southern hemisphere players announced to join Toulouse's line-up for the next season.

Luke Burgess and Gurthro Steenkamp have signed three-year deals with the Top 14 leaders, with Timoci Matanavou penning a two-year contract.

The four will join France fly-half Lionel Beauxis, who has also agreed a three-year deal, and Nicolas Bezy, Jean-Marc Doussain and Russlan Boukerou, who have signed their first professional contracts at their formative club.

Scrum-half Burgess, 27, will become the first Australian in over 60 years to play for Toulouse where he replaces New Zealander Byron Kelleher.

Prop Steenkamp, 30, voted South African player of the year in 2010, will also be heading to the southwest of France.

Fijian Matanavou, 26, is currently the top kicker in the French second division, where he has scored 16 tries in 25 games for Stade Montois, his club of the past three seasons.

Beauxis, 26, has played for Stade Francais since the 2006-2007 season, lining up in 120 Top 14 games. He has also won 15 caps for France, including the last World Cup.

- NZPA/AFP