Stephen Larkham has revealed an attempt by Rugby Australia stakeholders to make changes to the game to increase its popularity, while also pledging a more exciting style for fans and players on his return to the Brumbies.
The 1999 World Cup hero was back at the helm of the team this week, replacing Dan McKellar after three years with Irish giants Munster. His experience in European rugby, which he says is flourishing, has convinced him that Australia needs to change.
“Last week, we had a shape of the game conference with the Australian rugby coaches, CEOs, broadcasters, referees and administrators from RA to talk about little tweaks that we can make in our game,” said Larkham on Tuesday.
He said moves were underway to make “some little law variations or minor modifications to the way that we play the game so it becomes a little bit more exciting.”
(Photo by Morne de Klerk/Getty Images)
Reflecting on European rugby, Larkham said: “There’s more ball in play time over there. They’re probably criticised for kicking a little bit more, but they’re the conditions that you play in over there. There was a lot of running rugby over there as well, and considering the conditions the skill level was amazing.”
The news of a state of the game summit shows Rugby Australia is clearly concerned about the sport’s status. Although the England series was a huge hit with fans, Super Rugby has been of concern, especially in Canberra and Larkham believes it’s incumbent on him, as well as his players to try harder, through promotional activities and style of play.
“The game here has to be different because the game is thriving over there. There’s packed stadiums. Every week [Munster] we packed the stadium with 26,000 people – the noise was amazing.
“There is fanatical support, really well financed huge squads.”
He said that Australian style needed to differ from Europe however because of the competition from other football codes here.
“Over there you’re not competing with the other sports. Rugby league, soccer, tennis, AFL cricket, everything is just as big if not bigger than rugby over here,” Larkham said.
“Whereas in Ireland, particularly, rugby was the number one sport. So there were things over there that we could do like the mauling, and the scrummaging and the kicking and the crowds would love it and clap and applaud and cheer.
“It doesn’t happen over here. So we have to change the game. The conference last week sort of has started that process, but internally here as well.”
Pointedly, Larkham gave the Brumbies feared rolling maul as an example.
“We’re world renowned over here already, in terms of our maul, it’s arguably the best maul in the world, has been for a number of years,” Larkham said.
“If you’re a traditionalist, you love the intricacy behind all of that. But we have to break away from some of those traditional elements to make the game a little bit more exciting.
“That’s what we’re going to be working on over the next month, we’re going to be working on a game plan that’s a little bit more exciting for fans to come and watch and for the players to play themselves.”
Larkham has some squad building to complete, with key players such as Scott Sio, Irae Simone and Tom Banks off the books, while he revealed he would only get five weeks with the full squad ahead of next year’s Super Rugby season.
We were told last week that the Wallaby boys wouldn’t come back in until the 16th of January,” Larkham said. “So that’ll make things tight. We have a trial on the fourth and the 11th of February. And then we play our first game on 24th.
“So a little over a month together, is all we’re going to have.
“That makes it pretty difficult. But we’re faced with that every year. And I think the guys will obviously get good experience in the Wallabies. There’s a number of our guys playing together in the Wallabies, so there’ll be good continuity there. And then come January, we’re not going to change too much. Those guys will just have to pick it up where the boys are at.”
Larkham coached the Brumbies between 2014 and 2017 before leaving to become attack coach of the Wallabies.
He says he’s pleased to be on familiar territory and understands his job extends beyond producing a good team on the park.
“Our job, as a small little provincial team, is that we have to really embrace the community, get out into the community, grow the game in this little area as much as possible so that we can get the support that we need going forward.”
No Arms
Roar Rookie
We have to select more Australian players from around the world. Not just the bubble that is Super Rugby.
gatesy
Roar Guru
...don't forget Canberra born and bred, Finlay Bealham, still propping for Ireland.
Wallabies_Larkham
Roar Rookie
Spew..i am a fan of EJ but the issue under him for example the red roses really struggle against the boklings in the forwards since they travelled to SA land in 2018 I think...even at the end of last year tour they were smashed up front...
Wallabies_Larkham
Roar Rookie
Dusty I think the reason why they would pick Tommy wright at fullback is because of his skills of catching highballs and that he will most likely counter you like he did against red roses..i don't think he has ever dropped ball so could be wrong here..
Wallabies_Larkham
Roar Rookie
Ozinsa if you ever wondered where Link has been..here is video of him seven months ago: https://youtu.be/eI19xMD8qR8
Wallabies_Larkham
Roar Rookie
Spew the way the Irish clan is playing seems to be based on a model developed by the wallabies during my guy's era...
Dean
Roar Rookie
Oh my, I wish Larkham all the best at the Brumbies. His narrative surrounding community engagement is pleasant reading. His narrative surrounding the maul, is confounding. Hope he doesn’t take us back to powder puff forwards and under utilized backs.
soapit
Roar Guru
yeah perhaps, i have noticed with the stan coverage that its been harder to see a replay of even the penalties at times. they certainly could use the down time at scrums to show some amount of analysis. tmo not sure they can do much else as something is technically happening, just very slowly.
soapit
Roar Guru
yeah thats all good. im not talking about power game being bad. more the teams that only have kick defend in their bag. theres something un natural about a game where neither team would prefer to have the ball in their hands
Brendan NH Fan
Roar Rookie
It's a commentator issue. In NFL they spend ages talking about the battles. The problem is commentators know less than the ref. It is interesting that frontrowers can tell you what is going on and all the illegal stuff the teams are getting away with which would engage fans but instead it's "I don't know what's happening so I'll say it's boring" rubbish from comemtators
Brendan NH Fan
Roar Rookie
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The French lover the power either in defence or attack. League is big in Oz but it's not really the running that get the big views it's the massive hits and alpha v alpha battles. Skelton is loved by fans in the NH not because of his running or his silky skills it's his brute force and his ability smash through anyone or bend an attacker in half. A team built to run is not entertaining if they are bullied. Munster fans issue with Larkam was once they got the ball it was out wide or keep it tight there as no play what you see like the other 3 provinces do. When the opposition are about to give up a 20m maul is better then a 50m run as one crushes the opposition.
Dusty10
Roar Rookie
I appreciate the cynicism, how could any self-repecting Oz rugby fan not be cynical given what we've been dished up for the past decade? However, if anyone deserves a little support and respect, it's Larkham. That man took what Knox started for the Brums at 10 and made it something bloody magical. Whenever Larkham touched the ball Canberra fans were on the edges of their seats waiting for the next piece of magic. So, if anyone understands Brumbies DNA, it's Larkham. Mauls, scrums, lineout, rucks, all important but they are just a foundation to build your game on. The rest is incisive attacking rugby that confuses and demoralises the opposition. I watched that happen so many times at Bruce Stadium in the early days, and I want it back!!
rusty
Roar Rookie
Looked like a very unhappy team issue. Players not playing for each other or the coach ? I think they suffered from some poor selections as well. Didn't seem to have any trouble beating the Brumbies but were a different team at the end of the season.??
rusty
Roar Rookie
Yes but these not "standard" enrolments usually get picked up early by the NRL.
Dusty10
Roar Rookie
LR, yep, very talented player who excelled in both codes as a junior. There's some great footage of Tom carving up defences on YouTube. I really hope he's given every opportunity to develop and stay in our game. Remember, a punt was taken on a young man named Larkham who was a junior 9. He went on to excel at 15, and then dominate at 10. His first ever match at 10 resulted in that annihilation of the poms, 76-0, and Larkham orchestrated the whole thing. I'm not saying Wright will be a Larkham, but he's a talented player who just 'feels' how to attack. Worth giving him a go.
Spew_81
Roar Rookie
The Hurricanes was every NZer's second favorite team for years (not as much once they started playing proper rugby). Not because they won, but because they entertained. It got so bad they the eventual Hurricanes 'stealing defeat from the jaws of victory' became part of the spectacle e.g. they could score two ties in the last five minutes, to get a point ahead, then give away a penalty from the kick off to lose by two.
rusty
Roar Rookie
Unfortunately they'll probably never get the chance because the lame rugby commentary crucify them a la Quade Cooper who should have been a fixture at 10 for years if he had the support of Australian rugby generally.
Spew_81
Roar Rookie
Agree, the best Wallabies teams had good/solid forward packs. Which got just enough ball for the backs to weave their magic.
Doctordbx
Roar Rookie
Sorry mate. Busy day on the tools.
Spew_81
Roar Rookie
Agree, Australian teams need to play Australian style rugby. That was Eddie Jones’ biggest failure (the Brumbies were good under Jones as that team was built by Macqueen, and Macqueen could still influence the players as he was the Wallabies coach). That somehow the All Blacks got better at running rugby than the Wallabies. The (Dwyer and Macqueen) Wallabies used to school the All Blacks on how the ball could beat the man. That was when the Wallabies started to decline. Formulaic rugby over smart rugby.