Reuben Thorne

For Reuben Thorne, Christchurch has the perfect mixture. Its close to the ski elds and close to the beach. Its a city large enough to have everything you need and want, but not so large as to be a hectic place to live.
Born in Christchurch, Thorne did his growing up in the North Island, but always enjoyed coming down south and visiting family. He eventually moved back to study at Lincoln University and has lived in the area ever since. He began his Canterbury rugby career at the High School Old Boys club, spending a lot of time in Hagley Park, which he rightly points to as a central part of Christchurch and a great place to go, even when youre not involved in sport. Thornes career saw him on the road a lot. Playing Super Rugby with the Crusaders meant trips to Australia and South Africa, while the All Blacks took him even further aeld, and he ended his career with a stint in Japan. The time away helped him appreciate the little things Canterbury meant to him the comforts and familiarity of family, friends, and good Kiwi food. Thorne notes how fortunate his family was to not have really been a ected by the earthquakes, and says hes been impressed by how the Canterbury community has come together and displayed resilience since. He says that while the city has lost a bit of history and its sad that some great buildings are gone, including the original Lone Star restaurant on Manchester Street where he often dined, he is enthusiastic about the opportunities the rebuild o ers. He believes Christchurch has the chance to become a unique and modern city, di erent from other places in New Zealand. Im sad about what weve lost, but also excited about the future.