Paul Thorburn

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Paul Thorburn
Rugby union career
Full name	Paul Huw Thorburn
Date of birth	(1962-11-24) 24 November 1962
Place of birth	Rheindahlen, West Germany
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight	90 kilograms (14 st 2 lb)
School	Hereford Cathedral School
University	University College, Swansea
Playing career
Position	Full back
Amateur clubs
Years	Club / team
	South Gower RFC Ebbw Vale RFC Neath RFC Barbarian F.C.
National team(s)
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
1985–1991	Wales	37	(304)

Paul Thorburn (born 24 November 1962 in Rheindahlen, West Germany) is a former Neath RFC and international Wales rugby union player who played at full back. He also captained Wales.

Thorburn was a prolific long distance goal kicker. He holds the record for the longest successful kick in an international test match (although not the longest in Rugby Union as a whole). He gained the record during the 1986 Five Nations Championship at Cardiff Arms Park with a penalty kick measuring exactly 70 yards 8 and a half inches (64.2m) against Scotland. A record that is still today thought never likely to be surpassed on the international rugby stage. The kick was even more impressive because it was from a significant angle not directly in front of the posts, the kick was off the ground not off a kicking tee and it was a damp day so the ball was therefore heavier^[1]

Thorburn was also in the Wales squad for the 1987 Rugby World Cup, during which he scored a conversion that won Wales third place in the competition.

He retired from playing in 1991. He was tournament director for the World Cup in 1999 and also a former special projects manager for the Welsh Rugby Union.^[2]

In 2006 he joined Ospreys after leaving the Welsh Rugby Union, however he left the club in June 2010 to pursue other business interests.^[3]

References

↑ Paul Thorburn at YouTube
↑ "THE Ospreys have paid tribute to Paul Thorburn after his surprise departure from the Liberty Stadium". Thisissouthwales.co.uk. 2010-06-16. Retrieved 2013-11-25.
↑ "BBC Sport - Rugby Union - Ospreys confirm Paul Thorburn departure". BBC News. 2010-06-15. Retrieved 2013-11-25.

v t e Wales squad – 1987 Rugby World Cup Third Place

Forwards	Blackmore Buchanan Collins Ph. Davies S. Evans James P. Moriarty R. Moriarty Norster A. Phillips K. Phillips Rawlins Richards Roberts Sutton Webster Whitefoot Young

Backs	Bowen Dacey J. Davies Devereux I. Evans Giles Hadley Hopkins Jones Ring Thorburn Titley Webbe

Coach	Gray

Persondata
Name	Thorburn, Paul
Alternative names
Short description	Welsh rugby union player
Date of birth	24 November 1962
Place of birth	Rheindahlen, West Germany
Date of death
Place of death

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