»Thorley tipped for the top Sport
OLLIE Thorley has been backed to thrive on the international stage and become a world class winger.
The Gloucester youngster spent time with the England squad in Portugal after earning his first senior call-up ahead of the Six Nations - and despite being cut from the final squad ahead of Saturday’s game with Ireland in Dublin, Cherry and Whites head coach Johan Ackermann feels his selection was well deserved.
“We’re proud of him and it’s a deserved chance,” said Ackermann.
“He was in great form in the Premiership and now obviously the last few weeks we haven’t got the ball enough in his hands but he’s a quality player and hopefully one who will take it into England if he does get the opportunity.”
Thorley was just 20-years-old and had limited first team experience when Ackermann joined Gloucester as head coach in the summer of 2017 but the South African saw something in him straight away.
It may have raised a few eyebrows when Thorley was selected for Ackermann’s first Premiership game in charge against Exeter Chiefs but he has been a regular when fit ever since, scoring an impressive 15 tries in 25 games over the last 18 months.
“As you learn the players you see the character and that’s what I saw with Ollie,” said Ackermann.
“He’s a player that has got the character to work hard and he’s willing to learn.
“Hopefully they’ll see that in him, that he’s young and he’s fearless, that’s what I saw in him.
“Every player will go through those purple patches and he is in one, hopefully long may it continue.”
The advice from Ackermann, who won 13 caps for South Africa, to Thorley is simple – keep doing what he’s done to earn selection.
Ackermann said: “He’s going to have to settle in and get all the structures and plays etcetera but I mean at the end of the day he must just do what he’s done with us - play with the same energy, same power and same ability. That’s why he’s been selected.
“You get selected for certain things and you must keep believing that you’ve got the ability and that’s why they’ve recognised it.”
And Ackermann has no doubts that Thorley can succeed at international level.
“Obviously he’s going to have quality players around him that will help and support him and he’s got the X-factor,” said Ackermann.
“He can beat his opposition with speed and power but also with good footwork so if he’s got top international players around him and a decent set piece he will definitely thrive in that.”
Thorley missed the start of the season through injury but returned with a bang in November, scoring a sensational double against Leicester to help him win the Premiership player of the month award.
The emergence of the 22-year-old means that the experienced Matt Banahan has had to sit out of the team on a few occasions but the former Bath man only has nice things to say about his team-mate.
“When he’s playing the level of rugby he is at the moment, which is brilliant, I get more satisfaction out of seeing people succeed,” said Banahan.
“He’s got some talent to push forward and he’s just scratching the surface of the endless possibilities he has to be a world class winger.”
High praise indeed from a man who won 16 caps for England.
While Thorley might only be considered to have an outside chance of getting some game time during the Six Nations, Banahan does not think it will be long until he is knocking on the door for a place in the side having been blown away by what he’s seen in training and matches.
“He’s unbelievable,” said Banahan. “If what he’s been doing at Gloucester is listening and learning, he’ll do even better there just because he’s playing with the best players in England and the pace he’s got and the sheer power, he’s always got that possibility of pushing for a starting place as well.
“He’s so keen, energetic, he just wants to impress and get better every time and even when I switch off in training, which I try not to do, he’s there making line breaks, running round me like most people can anyway!
“He still wants to get better, which is the best thing because he’s only 22-years-old and he’s got endless possibilities for his career.”