Peter Robert Tyler Thorburn MNZM (19 March 1939 – 26 January 2021) was a New Zealand rugby union player and coach.

[2] Thorburn dismissed concerns that his previous tenure as a rugby commentator would impact his work as a selector, maintaining that he "may have criticised a particular performance but that's as far as I've gone".

After Dean Ryan quit as head coach, Thorburn was offered the position with a two-year deal.

[10] Thorburn was named a Life Member of the North Harbour Union in 2005, becoming only the third individual to be bestowed this honour.

[5][11] That same year, he was appointed as a selector for the New Zealand national under-19 rugby union team and served in that role until 2006.

Thorburn was appointed interim coach of the United States national rugby union team in April 2006.

[13] Although his contract was only supposed to last through World Cup qualifying, it was extended through to the competition proper in December 2006 after a series of strong performances.

Despite the fact that his side had to play two games in the space of five days, Thorburn declined to pinpoint the schedule as the reason for their loss.

[20] He contended the sport had actually "done more for race relations than just about any other section of society",[21] and thus it was "unfair to label rugby as racist".

[24] In the 2013 New Year Honours, Thorburn was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to rugby.