Stephen Larkham is returning to coach the Brumbies for a second spell with the Wallabies great signing a two-year deal with the Super Rugby franchise.
Larkham, who first coached the Brumbies from 2014-2017, will take charge for a second time when his contract with Irish club Munster expires in July next year.
He will succeed Dan McKellar, who will join the Wallabies set-up full-time at the end of the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific campaign.
“It’s exciting to know I’ll be returning home to the Brumbies and to Canberra with my family after finishing up my time in Ireland,” Larkham, who played for more than a decade with the ACT-based franchise, said.
“Playing for the Brumbies as a Canberra local was obviously a special time in my life and the club were very supportive in my transition into coaching so I want to thank Phil (Thomson, CEO) and the Brumbies board for giving me this opportunity to come back and represent the club again as head coach.”
The 47-year-old Larkham has coached Munster since 2019.
“I’ve developed and learnt a lot both as a person and as a coach in these past couple of years, and I’m looking forward to bringing that experience back to the Brumbies to ensure their continued success,” he said.
Thomson said that Larkham had proved to the “strongest candidate” through the club’s recruitment process for a coach to take over from McKellar.
“Making this appointment now puts us in a position where we have certainty for the players, and it is also important that we have continuity and stability for our existing staff and the organisation moving forward,” Thomson said.
After 102 Test caps, Larkham’s coaching career began in Canberra in 2011 as an assistant before he was elevated to the head coach role.
He joined then Wallabies’ coach Michael Cheika’s 2015 World Cup campaign as attack coach, splitting his time between the Test and Super Rugby role.
Larkham then joined the Wallabies coaching set-up but was controversially sacked by Cheika in early 2019 after a string of poor results.
Paul D
Roar Rookie
Elevated perhaps ahead of his time off the back of his aura as a player. Here’s hoping the time over at Munster has helped him develop his coaching.
Lara
Guest
2 n a bit years overseas as an assistant coach at club level , no head coach role , no oversea international level experience….straight back to the Brumbies head coach. It all sounds a bit fast .
stillmissit
Roar Guru
Thanks Terry, my mistake I misread an article.
Crusher_13
Roar Rookie
Little rough. Was always going to be hard how he took over. Taking on from Jake White, his roster, his playing style, and being joint head coach with Fisher.
Malo
Guest
No crowds but money to burn. Thank goodness for Mum and dads subscriptions to pay for these overpaid latte sippers.
tuohyred
Roar Rookie
Oops - meant Oz experience outside his Brumbies comfort zone with Laurie holding his hand.
tuohyred
Roar Rookie
Well done putting family first. But he needs Oz and preferably NH Head Coach experience before WB advancement. RA should mandate a swap between Bernie and Thorne and analyse the results.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Welcome back Bernie! Hope you go well.
terrykidd
Roar Pro
I hope he has learnt a lot at Munster because his previous tenure at the Brumbies was not so flash.
terrykidd
Roar Pro
He was only an assistant at Munster.
jcmasher
Roar Rookie
I'd love to read a book on his opinion of the issues that caused the split with Cheika one day. Good luck to him and it'll be interesting to see what he has learnt off shore and what it means to the way the Brumbies play.
stillmissit
Roar Guru
Just had a quick look at Munster under Larkham and pretty good although I didn't see the tables over his time and obviously affected by Covid. I think he will be a good asset to the Australian rugby coaching ranks.