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Blade Thomson

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Blade Thomson
Full nameBlade Neville Thomson
Date of birth (1990-12-04) 4 December 1990 (age 34)
Place of birthAuckland, New Zealand
Height1.98 m (6 ft 6 in)
Weight106 kg (16 st 10 lb; 234 lb)
SchoolGisborne Boys' High School
Rugby union career
Position(s) Number 8
Blindside Flanker
Lock
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2010–2017 Taranaki 47 (60)
2013–2018 Hurricanes 45 (50)
2018–2023 Scarlets 54 (15)
Correct as of 16 February 2023
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2010 New Zealand U20 5 (15)
2013–2015 Maori All Blacks 6 (0)
2019–2021 Scotland 10 (0)

Blade Neville Thomson (born 4 December 1990) is a former professional rugby union player who played as a lock or loose forward. Born in Auckland, New Zealand, he represented Scotland in international rugby, being eligible for the national team through his paternal grandfather, Robert, who was from Wishaw. He played for Taranaki in the ITM Cup[1][2] and for the Super Rugby franchise the Hurricanes,[3] and spent the last five years of his career playing in Wales for the Scarlets.

Professional career

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Thomson was a member of the Hurricanes Wider Training Group in 2012, and he joined the squad for the 2013 Super Rugby season. Thomson missed the 2017 Super Rugby season due to shoulder reconstruction surgery.

Thomson joined Pro14 team the Scarlets at the beginning of the 2018–19 season.

On 16 February 2023, Thomson announced his retirement due to a head injury.[4]

International career

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Thomson was a member of the New Zealand Under 20 team that won the 2010 IRB Junior World Championship in Argentina,[5] where the 197 cm forward played alongside the likes of Crusaders Tyler Bleyendaal and Tom Marshall and All Black winger Julian Savea.[6]

In October 2018, Thomson was called up to Scotland for the Autumn Internationals.[7] He made his Scotland debut on 24 August 2019 in a Rugby World Cup warm-up match against France at Murrayfield Stadium.[8]

Personal life

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Thomson is a New Zealander of Māori descent (Ngāpuhi descent).[9]

References

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  1. ^ "Blade Thomson NZ Sports Yahoo profile". Archived from the original on 16 January 2014. Retrieved 29 October 2012.
  2. ^ "Illness opens door for Blade Thomson". Taranaki Daily News. Fairfax. Archived from the original on 12 August 2017. Retrieved 29 October 2012.
  3. ^ "Hooker, halfback, prop needed for Hurricanes". Rugby Heaven. Fairfax. 27 October 2012. Archived from the original on 5 December 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2012.
  4. ^ "Scarlets' Scotland back row Thomson retires". BBC Sport. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
  5. ^ "Champions New Zealand name JWC 2010 squad". Rugby World Cup (Press release). IRB. Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 29 October 2012.
  6. ^ "Super Rugby Profile: Hurricanes – Blade Thomson". Archived from the original on 21 April 2013. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  7. ^ "Scotland: Blade Thomson, Sam Skinner and Sam Johnson in Autumn Tests squad". BBC. 17 October 2018. Archived from the original on 17 October 2018. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  8. ^ Rugby, Scottish (24 August 2019). "Special moment for Blade Thomson receiving his @scotlandteam shirt for his debut today #AsOnepic.twitter.com/4KUZ9nd8C1". Archived from the original on 9 October 2019. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  9. ^ "5 players from Ngāti Porou named in "Maori All Blacks"". Ngāti Porou East Coast. 30 June 2015. Archived from the original on 22 February 2024. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
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