Stephen Larkham
Personal information
Date of birth	May 29, 1974 (1974-05-29) (age 34)
Place of birth	Canberra, ACT
Height	1. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. Canberra ( is the capital city of Australia With a population of over 340000 it is Australia's largest inland City. } The Australian Capital Territory (ACT is the Capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and its smallest self-governing internal territory 89 m (6 ft 2+1⁄2 in)
Weight	88 kg (13 st 12 lb)
Nickname	Bernie
School	Lyneham High, Canberra
College	Australian National University
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position	Fly-half Inside centre Full-back
Provincial/State sides		Caps	(points)
1990-2004	ACT and Southern NSW	112	(214)
Super Rugby
1996-present	Brumbies	127	(204)
National team(s)
1996-2007	Australia	102	(135)

Stephen Larkham (born 29 May 1974 in Canberra) is an Australian rugby union footballer with the Ricoh Black Rams in Japan. Overview See also Playing rugby union A rugby union match lasts for 80 minutes (plus stoppage time with a short A Rugby union team is made up of 15 players eight forwards numbered from 1 to 8 and seven backs numbered from 9 to 15 A Rugby union team is made up of 15 players eight forwards numbered from 1 to 8 and seven backs numbered from 9 to 15 A Rugby union team is made up of 15 players eight forwards numbered from 1 to 8 and seven backs numbered from 9 to 15 A cap is an appearance for a select team such as a school county or international team in sports The ACT and Southern NSW Rugby Union is the governing body for Rugby union in the Australian Capital Territory and southern regions of New South Wales. The Super 14 is the largest Rugby union football club championship in the Southern hemisphere, consisting of four state teams from Australia (Queensland/Reds The Brumbies (formerly known as the ACT Brumbies, for sponsorship reasons referred to as CA Brumbies) are a Super 14 Rugby union team The following is a list of international Rugby union teams The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in Rugby union. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. Canberra ( is the capital city of Australia With a population of over 340000 it is Australia's largest inland City. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Overview See also Playing rugby union A rugby union match lasts for 80 minutes (plus stoppage time with a short Ricoh Black Rams is a Japanese rugby union team in the Top League. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. He is best known for his career with the Brumbies in Super Rugby, for whom he played from the inception of the professional Super 12 in 1996 through 2007, and his long tenure with the Wallabies at international level, for whom he played 102 times. The Brumbies (formerly known as the ACT Brumbies, for sponsorship reasons referred to as CA Brumbies) are a Super 14 Rugby union team The Super 14 is the largest Rugby union football club championship in the Southern hemisphere, consisting of four state teams from Australia (Queensland/Reds The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in Rugby union. After initial selection at fullback from 1996-97, Larkham was the first-choice Australian fly-half from 1997 to 2007, playing in the 1999, 2003 and 2007 Rugby World Cups. A Rugby union team is made up of 15 players eight forwards numbered from 1 to 8 and seven backs numbered from 9 to 15 The 1999 Rugby World Cup was the fourth Rugby World Cup and the first to be held in Rugby union 's professional era. The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby union world cup and was won by England. The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international Rugby union world championship inaugurated in 1987. The Rugby World Cup is the premier international Rugby union competition He is married to Jacqueline and has two children, Jaimee and Tiahna.

Having started his career as a fullback, Larkham developed into one of the greatest flyhalves in the history of Australian rugby, being named in 2005 at the position in Australia's team of the decade (the "decade" being the first 10 years of professional rugby union). To celebrate 10 years of professional Rugby union, Australian Rugby celebrated the occasion with the announcement in 2005 of the Wallaby Team of the Decade. At his peak, Larkham was one of the best flyhalves in world rugby with reputation as an elusive runner and the lynchpin of a potent backline.

He first gained notice in 1995 when he was plucked from reserve grade club rugby to represent ACT in the Super 12 as a utility back in the Brumbies squad, playing a number of Super 12 games before attracting the attention of the national selectors. Larkham made his Test debut as a reserve against Wales in Sydney in 1996 when he replaced injured Ben Tune on the wing, and then joined the Wallabies on their undefeated tour of Europe. Ben Tune (born 28 December, 1976 in Brisbane) is an Australian Rugby union player In 1997, Larkham proved more than a capable replacement at fullback for the injured Matt Burke, with a two-try effort in the Wallabies final Test against Scotland at Murrayfield. On 16 January 2008 Larkham signed a three year contract with Japanese club Ricoh Black Rams. In an effort to drive up the overall standard and popularity within Japan of Japanese rugby and improve the results of the Japan national rugby union team, the Japan Rugby Football Ricoh Black Rams is a Japanese rugby union team in the Top League.

Contents 1 Becoming a Fly Half 2 That drop-goal 3 Later career 4 See also 5 References 6 External links

Becoming a Fly Half

Larkham’s conversion from fullback to flyhalf is now hailed as a Rod Macqueen masterstroke that put the Wallabies on track to win the 1999 Rugby World Cup. Rod Macqueen was coach of the most successful Australian Rugby union side to date The 1999 Rugby World Cup was the fourth Rugby World Cup and the first to be held in Rugby union 's professional era. However, initially this was controversial selection as his tactical kicking was regarded as too weak for the position but his ability to get the Australian back line going and to slide through gaps himself quickly ended the debate. Simon Poidevin while commenting for Australian TV remarked during the third test against the All Blacks in 1998 that "anyone who thinks (Larkham) is a dud half back needs their head read" (i. Simon Paul Poidevin OAM (born 31 October 1958) is a former Australian Rugby union player The All Blacks are New Zealand's national team in Rugby union, the country's National sport. e. is wrong) and this was eventually accepted to be correct.

That drop-goal

Larkham’s famous 48m-drop goal to seal victory over South Africa in extra time of the 1999 Rugby World Cup Semi-Final has gone down in rugby folklore as the defining moment in the Wallabies victorious Rugby World Cup campaign. South Africa had got to the semi final largely through the efforts of Jannie de Beer kicking 5 drop goals in their previous match. Jan Hendrik de Beer (born 22 April 1971 in Welkom) nicknamed Jannie, is a South African former Rugby union player By contrast not one of the Australian players on the team had to that date ever scored a drop goal at test level. The fact that Larkham had quite a badly injured knee through the match caused Steve Smith to remark incredulously while calling the game for English ITV "He can barely stand on that leg and yet he just thwacked it over". Stephen Smith, Steve Smith, or Steven Smith may refer to In sports: Steve Smith (Carolina Panthers, (b Independent Television (generally known as ITV) is a public service network of British commercial television broadcasters set up under the Independent

The feat was even more remarkable as Larkham's eyesight was very poor at the time. Since 1999 he has had laser surgery to correct his vision, however at the time he could not see the goal posts clearly. Following Australia's victory over France in the World Cup final, several television commercials aired in Australia humorously mocking Larkham's lack of kicking prowess. The France national rugby union team represents France in Rugby union. The commercial featured current & former team-mates, junior and senior coaches (including former Australian coach Rod MacQueen) and even Australian rugby icons (such as Phil Kearns) expressing their astonishment that Larkham managed to score. Rod Macqueen was coach of the most successful Australian Rugby union side to date Philip Nicholas Kearns ( 27 June 1967 -) is a former Australian Rugby Union player and national captain

The commercial begins with Larkham's school coaches saying he was a poor kicker, and had never successfully scored a drop-goal in a match. The climax of the commercial features then-captain John Eales, as well as Matt Burke, Kearns and MacQueen each saying "Don't kick it!" as footage of the moment is replayed. John Eales AM (born 27 June 1970 is a former Australian Rugby union footballer and arguably the most successful captain in the history of Australian Rugby. Matthew Burke (born March 26 1973 in Sydney) is a retired Australian Rugby union player The commercial is available to view on YouTube. YouTube is a video sharing website where users can upload view and share Video clips YouTube was created in February 2005 by three former PayPal employees

Later career

Larkham was an important part of the Australian 2003 World Cup squad which lost in the tournament final to England. He has suffered greatly from injuries through his career, especially to his knees and right elbow. Despite these he remained a competent defender in spite of his relatively light frame. He was also tried at inside centre by John Connelly for one test against Wales 2006 but the experiment was not regarded a success and he never played there again. John Michael Connelly (born July 18, 1938 in St Helens) is an English former football player.

He was famous for forming a long standing half-back partnership with George Gregan, both of whom were foundation players with the ACT Brumbies rugby franchise. George Musarurwa Gregan AM (born 19 April 1973 in Lusaka, Zambia) is an Australian Rugby union who has made more appearances for his national The Brumbies (formerly known as the ACT Brumbies, for sponsorship reasons referred to as CA Brumbies) are a Super 14 Rugby union team When both retired after the 2007 World Cup, not only were they the two most-capped Wallabies, but they played in more Tests than any other scrum-half/fly-half combination in history, with 79 appearances together. This is a list of the all-time leaders for caps in men's Rugby union Test matches, with a minimum of 90 confirmed Test caps A Rugby union team is made up of 15 players eight forwards numbered from 1 to 8 and seven backs numbered from 9 to 15 ^[1] So important were they to the team that in 2007 at Bruce Stadium (Canberra Stadium), a new stand was unveiled as the "Gregan-Larkham Stand" in honour of both players and their combination to the team.

He played his last test against Japan in the 2007 World Cup before a knee injury sidelined him, which effectively ended his Test career as Australia were then knocked out of the competition before he could return.

On 14 May 2007, despite larger offers from French and English teams, Larkham signed a contract with Edinburgh Rugby in Scotland to join them after the 2007 World Cup; however; this deal subsequently fell through,^[2] reportedly because the Scottish Rugby Union would not fund the deal. Events 1264 - Battle of Lewes: Henry III of England is captured in France making Simon de Montfort the Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Edinburgh Rugby (formerly Edinburgh Reivers, Edinburgh Gunners) is one of two Professional Rugby union teams in Scotland competing Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. Newly promoted Leeds expressed an interest, as did the Welsh side, the Dragons. Leeds Carnegie is an English Rugby union club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire that currently plays in the National Division One after being relegated The Newport Gwent Dragons (Dreigiau Casnewydd Gwent are one of the four professional Rugby Union teams in Wales ^[3] However, in January 2008 it was announced that he will join Ricoh Black Rams of Japan. Ricoh Black Rams is a Japanese rugby union team in the Top League.

See also

• The Brumbies
• The Wallabies
• Wallaby Team of the Decade
• List of rugby union Test caps leaders

References

External links

• Brumbies Profile
• Wallabies Profile
• Remembering Bernie, a tribute to Stephen Larkham
• Ricoh unveils Larkham - Daily Yomiuri, February 14, 2008

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