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As a 25-year-old, Stephen Larkham sat in the Millennium Stadium changerooms contemplating retirement.
Having reached the summit, Larkham, considered his future.
The Roar is counting down the Wallabies’ Greatest World Cup XV of all time from No. 15-1 with thanks to thousands of votes from our readers.
“Sitting in the changerooms with Rod Macqueen, reflecting on the previous two years, I thought it was an amazing build into that tournament and it felt so special. In my head, I was contemplating retiring thinking this is the greatest,” Larkham told The Roar.
“I was thinking I pretty much had achieved everything in rugby now. Up until that point, we’d won Bledisloes, we had a pretty successful run.
“If I didn’t play another game, I remember thinking I would be more than satisfied with my career in rugby.”
Thank goodness the man they called ‘Bernie’ did not hang up the boots because at that time Larkham had only played 30 Tests.
He went on to play another 72 Tests, becoming the third Wallaby to reach the 100 Test milestone behind David Campese and George Gregan, and lead the nation to another World Cup final. Along the way of course there was British and Irish Lions glory and Super Rugby titles, too.
Larkham beat another World Cup-winner Michael Lynagh to become The Roar’s chosen fly-half in our readers’ pool of the Wallabies best team throughout the tournament’s history. To do so reveals the measure of Larkham as a player because Lynagh is etched in Australian rugby folklore.
(Photo by Gary Prior /Allsport/ Getty Images)
Adding to the brilliance of Larkham was that he missed the lead-up to the tournament and, indeed, their opening match against Romania because of injury.
Even during the final, Larkham was by no means 100 per cent fit after, first, dislocating his knee during Super Rugby and, second, fracturing his thumb ahead of the tournament.
“I was sort of struggling not so much with my hand, but struggling with my knee through the tournament,” he revealed.
“I remember in the final against France, Tuney [Ben Tune] scored the try in the corner. But earlier in the final, I made a break and I couldn’t actually step off one of my legs because I was still in too much pain, I didn’t have the strength in my knee. I sort of made a break and found myself only being able to step one way, which was not the right way to step.”
Despite playing on one leg, it was still enough.
Speaking of that leg? Who remembers that kick?
What did The Roar’s best World Cup Wallabies fullback Matt Burke say last week about Larkham’s field goal in extra time?
“The commentary if I remember right, ‘Larkham has de Beered de Beer.’ I just think that was just one of the great lines,” Burke told The Roar about his teammate’s 48-metre field goal at Twickenham.
So what stands out more, the celebrations after winning the World Cup or the euphoria of landing that penalty against the Boks in the semi-final?
“Sitting in the change rooms, that’s more vivid,” Larkham said.
“I can picture myself in the changerooms, I can’t picture myself kicking the field goal. I’ve seen replays of it, obviously, but I can put myself in the changeroom now.”
But what do the punters remember most?
“Particularly when World Cups come up, that’s top of the list in terms of memories,” Larkham quips.
And let’s set the record straight. How many field goals had you landed before that glorious semi-final?
“I think I might have kicked one. I think it was like two or three maybe my career. I don’t know if it was before or after. No, I couldn’t tell you. If you asked me now, I kicked a few when I was playing junior footy but nothing in senior rugby until after that,” Larkham said, admitting the memory is hazy.
And what about Burke’s suggestion that finally you conceded that the Wallabies made the final because of the fullback’s laser-esque boot?
“He keeps bringing that up,” Larkham said.
“He’d bring up the fact that it wasn’t decided by three points, Burkie actually kicked a couple of penalties throughout that game and post the field goal as well that actually determined it. But, like, no one needs to know that.”
While Macqueen’s Wallabies side is remembered for a brilliantly balanced backline and captain incredible John Eales and Owen Finegan’s “go for the line” try against France, Larkham said their World Cup success was built around their defence and pragmatic approach to the game.
“It was super physical in ‘99. It was a super physical game, and there was eye gouging and we’d all sort of copped a little bit in the rucks and the mauls [against France],” Larkham said.
“We knew it was going to be a physical game, but I think we matched the physicality of a team that was so-called one of the most physical teams in the world.
“We kicked a lot of ball, and that’s probably one thing that as an Australian outfit in that era, we were pretty renowned for scoring tries, holding the ball and scoring tries, but we kicked.
“We held the ball well and had players across the park that were exceptional at carrying the ball, but we kicked the ball and we had the best defence in the competition. We had one try scored against us, which was America with a 13-man maul close to our line. That’s something that resonates with me as well.
“Whilst we were seen as an attacking team, and I was pivotal to the attack, we also had by far and away the best defensive record in the tournament, and when it came down to the big games, we backed that and waited for those opportunities on the back of really good defence as opposed to creating something in attack.”
As for 2003, Larkham believes the Wallabies might have played their final a week early when they shocked the All Blacks in Sydney.
“That was a phenomenal performance against New Zealand,” Larkham said.
“That was the era where we had a mix of rugby union players and guys who converted from rugby league.
“I thought we put in an unbelievable performance against New Zealand to get us to the final and perhaps that was our final – beating New Zealand. I think we might have been carried away with that result and couldn’t turn around the week afterward.
“Eddie did a really good job there preparing the team to put us in a really good position for the knockout stages and ultimately the final. But the game sort of drifted away from us a little bit there in the end, but I think we were prepared exceptionally well.”
Of course, Larkham played in the 2007 World Cup in France but, as the marvellous playmaker said, “the third one effectively ended my career with the Wallabies”.
So, having played in two World Cup finals and coached in another one in 2015, what else stands out about World Cups?
“I think in all three, there’s a big difference between your pool games and the finals,” Larkham said.
“As a 25-year-old in ’99 that was definitely something that I remember.
“I remember the pressure that came on the team in that quarter-final and how it was sudden death and this game really counted. Whereas the other games, it was almost like how we can lose one. It doesn’t matter. We’ll go through.”
Stephen Larkham is your choice of No.10 for The Roar’s Greatest Wallabies Rugby World Cup XV, powered by ASICS, the Official Performance Apparel and Footwear supplier for the Wallabies. Larkham won with 71.2% of the vote, followed by Michael Lynagh and Quade Cooper. Check back tomorrow to find out who was selected at No.9.
The Roar’s Greatest Wallabies Rugby World Cup XV
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.