Brad Thorn. Photo / Getty Images
Even beaten Brad Thorn could see the bright side.
Playing for the Crusaders for the last time, he channelled Zen-like qualities to laud the achievements of the Reds and salute their re-emergence as a rugby powerhouse.
"It's great for Queensland rugby. I grew up here and there's been some hard
years in the past decade or so," Thorn said. "It's good to see people turn out and really enjoy their rugby again."
Thorn was involved in the game's biggest moment. Ignoring numbers on his outside, he was driven over the line and when he emerged, his fist-pumping celebration seemed confirmation that he had scored. Bryce Lawrence referred it upstairs but George Ayoub could see nothing.
"I'm not too sure," Thorn admitted. "I felt like I'd got close. Did I skim the grass? I don't know."
As for the celebration?
"I don't think I've scored this year, so I was just happy to get across the tryline."
His deflecting of any potential controversy was further evidence he did not want to take anything away from the Reds and their players.
Two years ago they finished 13th and just four years ago they were smashed 92-3 by the Bulls on the way to the wooden spoon, finishing 10 points behind the next-worst team.
"That's unfortunately something I was part of," skipper James Horwill said.
"That's probably the lowest point we've ever been as an organisation and now this is the highest point we've ever been.
"To do in a short amount of time is pretty special ... it's pretty cool, to be honest."
Coach Ewen McKenzie was pleased to be able to finally exorcise the ghosts of Pretoria.
"When I arrived, people only talked about that game and every time we played the Bulls it was all they talked about.
"They don't talk about that game any more."
