Tim Horan

Who is Tim Horan?

Tim Horan AM is a former Australian rugby union footballer. He played for the Queensland Reds in the Super 12, and represented Australia, he was one of the best centres in the world throughout the 1990s due to his attacking prowess, formidable defence and playmaking ability.

As well as inside centre, Horan also played fly-half and got one cap on the wing.

Fame]] in 2006.

Horan's rugby career began at Toowoomba's Downlands College under First XV coach John Elders, a former coach of England. The Downlands First XV of 1987 was undefeated throughout the year, including matches against Sydney's Kings, Riverview and St Joseph's colleges. The side also included future Wallabies Brett Johnstone, Brett Robinson, Garrick Morgan, and Peter Ryan.

He initially partnered Jason Little, with whom he wrote a book, Perfect Union and later in his career, Daniel Herbert. Horan and Little met when they were 13-years-old, rooming together for a rugby league representative team. Horan played a role in Australia winning the 1999 Rugby World Cup. He was voted player of the tournament.

His debut came in 1989 against New Zealand, where he impressed his opposite number, Joe Stanley, so much that Stanley gave Horan his test jersey and told him to keep his own as it was his first. In his next test, he and Little marked the experienced French pair of Franck Mesnel and Philippe Sella, and Horan scored his first two test tries. That year, in what has become a famous incident in Australian Rugby, both he and Jason Little were subjected to a mock bar room ceremony in which they pledged not to defect to Rugby League.