They were gladiators who revived memories of great locks from other eras such as Colin Meads, Frik du Preez and Willie John McBride.
One was Martin Johnson, the England captain with a glowering presence to scare armies who had learned some of his rugby skills in Meads' country, the other was Brad Thorn, the dual-code transtasman enforcer.
Mosgiel-born Thorn dreamed of being an All Black before he became a State of Origin player and Kangaroo when his family moved to Queensland. The rugby concept still niggled him so he moved back to New Zealand in 2001 and was picked by coach John Mitchell for the end-of-year tour. Within hours, Thorn withdrew claiming he was unsure about his rugby future.
He went Awol in 2002, returned to action in 2003 and made the World Cup squad where he played in all seven tests. It was a remarkable effort from one of the game's great trainers whose professional attitude would be appreciated hugely by the All Blacks later in his career.
Johnson had turned down an offer to remain and play rugby in New Zealand to return to England where he led his squad to the 2003 triumph in Australia. His massive mitts clenched the Webb Ellis Cup with the sort of unflinching grip he had imposed on the final.
