The New Zealand born Flanker has more than 60 International Caps under his belt for his adopted country of Japan. Having moved to Japan in 2004 and making his debut in 2007, he became part of a successful 2015 Rugby World Cup campaign, helping the Japanese team achieved three wins including against two-time world champions, South Africa.
Thompson has made 84 appearances for Top League side Kintetsu Liners, scoring 40 points by August 2017.
He was also part of the Japanese team in 2019 World Cup, when as hosts they beat Ireland, ranked second in the world at that time, 19-12.
Thompson made 71 appearances for Japan as the side went into the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup.
He played what many thought was his final game of rugby with Kintetsu Liners in January 2020 before heading back to New Zealand to run a deer farm.
In November 2021, the lock came out of retirement at the age of 40 as he joined Japan Rugby League One side NTT Communications Shining Arc
(LS November 2021)
Career
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Shining Arcs Tokyo-Bay Urayasu No 4 Lock |
2021 - present |
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Japan No 4 Lock |
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Kintetsu Liners No 4 Lock |
2016 - 2021 |
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Sunwolves No 4 Lock |
2019 - 2021 |
