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Brad Thorn (R) on the charge - Source: Photosport -
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World Cup-winning All Black Brad Thorn continues to be linked to a short-term move to Heineken Cup champions Leinster, with the Irish club reported to be close to snaring the veteran lock.
Leinster are desperate to cover a second row injury crisis as the European season heats up.
They also have their sights set on French icon Sebastien Chabal if the Thorn deal doesn't come off.
The 37-year-old Thorn joined Japanese club Sanix Blues after the World Cup. But their season is now finished and Sanix are reportedly close to agreeing to release Thorn on a temporary deal.
"We've been left pretty short in the second-row department," Leinster coach Joe Schmidt told the Irish Independent newspaper.
"Brad is pretty keen to come if that's possible. That's the first step and the second is to gain approval from the IRFU and they've been very good. They can identify that we do have a real shortage in the second-row.
"That would be something that they would be agreeable to as long as we can get an agreement with the Japanese club. We've been in contact with them and we're waiting for some feedback from them.
"We will probably know in the next week or so. We're working on a very tight time-frame. We would need him by early March to get a three-month contract that would make him eligible to cover us in the ERC games as well as the Pro12 games."
Thorn, the former Brisbane Broncos and Australian league star, had two stints as an All Black and played 59 tests between 2003 and last year, ending in World Cup glory.
