Rugby: Hoeata - I want to be the new Thorn

Jarrad Hoeata. Photo / Getty Images

Highlanders lock Jarrad Hoeata will need his physical powers to be fully restored in order to fulfil his dream this year of becoming the new Brad Thorn.

Hoeata is recovering from a torn pectoral muscle, suffered during pre-season training, and is five or six weeks away from playing, but his thoughts are already on the impact he can make in this season's Super Rugby competition.

The 28-year-old played three tests for the All Blacks last year and, although he didn't make the World Cup squad, he is known as a rugged customer on the field.

And with a Thorn-sized hole at the All Blacks, Hoeata sees an opportunity to make a name for himself. It might seem a bold statement given Thorn played 59 tests and never failed to impress with his work ethic and professionalism, but Hoeata has no doubt he can achieve it.

"Brad Thorn's gone now to Japan and that's the position that I want to take," he said. "We've got a very similar game, we both have an uncompromising style of game, so hopefully I can fill that spot and deliver what he did over so many years."

Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph will be delighted if he can because he sorely needs good news given the debilitating injury toll within his squad already.

Joseph's influence over Hoeata extends to the New Zealand Maori and two years ago he was the man responsible for persuading the then loose forward to move to lock for the two series against England and Ireland.

Joseph said he was impressed with Hoeata's attitude and improvement in an unfamiliar role.

"What Jarrad showed everybody last year was that he has a big workrate, and that's everything from cleaning rucks, moving bodies and making tackles," he said. "There is an uncompromising durability about his rugby. He is also a very aggressive player with ball in hand. As a lock forward there aren't too many with that expertise with the ball but his time as a loose forward has held him in good stead."

Joseph said given Hoeata's relative lack of height for a potential international lock (as a comparison he is 1cm shorter than Thorn at 1.95m and 4kg lighter at 112kg), his "aerial" skills, encompassing lineout work and kick-offs, needed work.

But aside from his ball skills and agility, there are other advantages in having Hoeata thrust into the engine room. Like Thorn, he pushes hard in scrums.

"Certainly from what I've seen as a coach, and certainly the feedback I've got from other coaches, is that he's one of the best pushing locks around," Joseph said. "He's got a lot to learn given that he's only been playing in this position at this level for the best part of a season but he's a strong, durable, determined sort of a player. When it comes to work ethic and work rate there's not a problem."

Hoeata will be the frontrunner to join Sam Whitelock, Ali Williams and Anthony Boric as the top-ranked locks in the country and would provide the ideal counterpart to the tall Whitelock, now considered the best.

Hoeata's Highlanders teammate Josh Bekhuis, 25, will also have designs on the position, as will former All Black Tom Donnelly, now undergoing a new lease of life at the Crusaders after moving from the southern franchise.

As for Thorn's take on Hoeata gunning for his former spot, one gets the feeling he just might know it's coming given his help and advice to his room-mate during last year's Tri Nations. "He was awesome," Hoeata said. "All he did was help me out whenever I needed it and he was a real nice guy, a real pro. I learned a lot from him."