Pharmaceutical Sales and Marketing (PSM) Ltd. with his business partner, Tony Fountain, in 1974, shortly after Thorburn stopped playing professional rugby. He sold PSM in 1987, but stayed on as managing director for five years. His first wife, Jocelyn, died in 1991, and he subsequently remarried. He had two children: Julie and Lee. He moved with his second wife, Sarnia, from the North Shore to Omaha Beach in the late 1990s. After retiring from coaching, Thorburn appeared weekly on Radio Sport and also contributed to a blog. Aside from rugby, he had a keen interest in Thoroughbred racing, with two of the horses he owned, Calm Harbour and Greene Street, winning Group I races. In the 2013 New Year Honours, Thorburn was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to rugby. Thorburn died on 26 January 2021 at North Shore Hospital in Takapuna. He was 81, and had suffered from dementia prior to his death. His funeral was held four days later on 30 January at North Harbour Stadium. References 1939 births 2021 deaths Auckland rugby union players Deaths from dementia in New Zealand Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit New Zealand expatriate sportspeople in the United States New Zealand expatriate sportspeople in England New Zealand rugby union players New Zealand rugby union coaches Rugby union number eights United States national rugby union team coaches