Farewell to a pair of legends

The hardest part for Stephen Larkham about ending his international career was that he didn't get a chance to have an impact on its conclusion.

The 102-test veteran only got to play 60 minutes of rugby in the 2007 World Cup, in Australia's opening 91-3 win over Japan, before he was sidelined with an injured right knee.

He had hoped to come back. But, even after Australia's 12-10 quarterfinal exit to England, he said wasn't sure if he'd have been fit if the Wallabies had advanced to the semifinals.

Right until the end though, he had confidence that his teammates, with old halfback partner George Gregan still out there, would get past England and he'd get another chance to play for Australia.

"I honestly thought we'd come back — work our way into the territory, get a penalty and win the game," he said. "It didn't happen.

"And then the final whistle blew. I wasn't too bad. But when I went on the pitch, looking at the faces of a lot of guys and realizing I wouldn't play with them again — it was difficult.

"It was very emotional for me, knowing that I wouldn't play for Australia again."

Larkham made a beeline for Gregan, his teammate at the ACT Brumbies and Australia for more than a decade. Gregan's career was also finished, with a world record 139 test caps.

"After the match, I had to go up and give him a hug," Larkham said. "It was too much for me at the time — I can't even remember what was said."

With the English forwards completely dominating the breakdown, Australia missed Larkham's uncanny knack of squeezing through a gap in the defense or turning the opposition around with an unconventional kick.

Australia scored the only try, Lote Tuqiri's first since June, in the 33rd minute, but went down to four penalty goals from Jonny Wilkinson.

It was Wilkinson's dropped goal in extra time that gave England a 20-17 win over Australia in the 2003 World Cup final and ended Australia's reign as champion.

Four years before that, Larkham and Gregan had central roles in Australia's World Cup title.

Gregan did not want to talk about Saturday's game, saying "now's not really the time for washups, mate."

Larkham had plenty of praise, though, for his longtime teammate.

They played 79 tests together in the No. 9-No. 10 combination after Larkham shifted from fullback to flyhalf at the insistence of former Wallaby coach Rod Macqueen.

"He's been the rock behind my career," the 33-year-old Larkham said. "He was sort of my mentor when I first moved to five-eighth. He coached me through the early years and continued to coach me through the latter years."

Larkham said he needed to make a decision about his future, but thought he'd be playing club rugby somewhere. He hadn't decided, he said, "because there was no real 'Plan B' for this team.

Australia captain Stirling Mortlock said the bitter disappointment of a World Cup quarterfinal loss was that it coincided with the international retirements of Gregan and Larkham.

"Stephen and George have given so much, not just to Australian rugby, but the world of rugby for 14 years," Mortlock said. "For them to bow out in the quarterfinal, everyone involved in our preparation is extremely disappointed for them."

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/...etirements.php

Bernie and Gregan bow out
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From correspondents in Marseille, France
<cite>October 07, 2007</cite><!-- // author -->
HIS wounded body unable to handle a pass from George Gregan, Stephen Larkham had to settle for a hug instead as two Australian sporting legends bowed out of international rugby on a sad note today.

England's shock 12-10 defeat of Australia in a tense Rugby World Cup quarter-final in Marseille brought the curtain down on the illustrious, record-breaking international careers of Gregan and Larkham.

Cruelly - and ironically after such synchronised careers - a knee injury to Larkham prevented world rugby's longest-standing halves pairing from finishing together.

Larkham, his eyes still moist from the tears he shed in the morgue-like losing dressing room, said he believed right until the final whistle that the Wallabies would reel in the English and advance to another semi-final so that he may have been able to add to his 102 Test caps - and 79 with Gregan inside him.

"But it just didn't happen," Larkham said.

"That was probably the most emotional moment out there on the paddock after the match when I caught George's eye and I had to go up and give him a hug. That was very difficult for me.

"He's been the rock behind my career. Every game that I've played he's been there.

"He's certainly played a lot more games than I have and he was sort of my mentor when I first started in the five-eighth role.

"He coached me through the early years and continued coaching me through the latter years in terms of correcting little things in my game and, for that, I'm in debt to him."

Larkham, 33, and Gregan, 34, have won every trophy possible together - including the Webb Ellis Cup in 1999 - but Larkham's 2007 World Cup campaign lasted just 54 minutes.

"Obviously for both Bernie (Larkham) and Greegs it's very disappointing to finish their careers this way,'' centre Matt Giteau said. "They've given Australian rugby so much".

"Personally, even going around the ground with George and saying 'well done on your career and bad luck' that was probably one of the saddest parts for me."

Despite 21-year-old Berrick Barnes' impressive form as Larkham's fill-in in the pool games, the master five-eighth's absence proved telling as the Wallabies lost all composure in the match that mattered most. (I'm not totally convinced of that...Berrick play very well)

Typically, though, the humble champion refused to speculate on how the Wallabies would have fared had he played against England.

And, typically, Larkham's first thoughts after the most shattering of losses were of his now former teammates, saying Australia's premature exit in the tournament was no more disappointing personally because of his limited involvement.

"When I went out onto the pitch and just looked at the faces of some of the guys and realised that I wouldn't play with them again, that was very emotional for me and very difficult," he said.

"But the disappointment for the guys not winning is the big thing today and then (I was) thinking of myself - just the fact that I won't be able to play for Australia again.

"There's a lot of young guys in the team who are going to play the next four years til the next World Cup and I'll be watching with interest.

"But there's a few older guys like myself who will be retiring after this World Cup, so that's a sad state of affairs.''

The truth is, unless fullback Chris Latham takes up an offer to end his career in England, only Larkham and Gregan have finished their Wallabies careers as coach John Connolly concludes his two-year tenure. (The look on his face...he won't retire...he can't...he'll have to have another go)

As it is, the void in Australian rugby will be nigh-impossible to fill.

Both players, even Gregan - who has polarised the Australian public in his latter years - have left fans with far more highlights than lowlights.

"I'll certainly be reflecting on those for the next 20, 50 years. They're the sort of memories that will stick in your mind the most,'' Larkham said.

"I probably won't think about the bad times. Just think about the guys that I played with. The memories that we had on and off the field with the guys are probably the most special.''

While Larkham's deal with Edinburgh has fallen through, leaving his playing future up in the air, Gregan will end his career with French second division side Toulon.

With 139 Tests to his credit, the world's most-capped player said today was not the time to reflect on his career.

"But I'm definitely going to have a beer," Gregan said.

"We'll absorb this together. That's what it's about, dealing with success and failure."

If not on the field today, then off it.

It's the way it has been for so long for Gregan and Larkham.

Reuters

I really am going to miss those two so much. :(
The wallabies just won't be the same without them.

bye bye lads, thanks for the enjoyment you brought to Australian rugby over your careers!

They've been great servants to Australian & World rugby - good luck in your retirements. There was a brief clip of Larkham crying his eyes out after the final whistle.....HTFU.....nah, just kidding - it must've been emotional for him to realise he wasn't going to pull on the green & gold again.

I saw Larkham should play just one more game next year for the Wallabies as a proper farewell match.

It's just not the same without him. Berrick has got heaps of potential, but Larkham was a genius. No matter what everyone says, Australia will struggle to find a replacement for him.

Farewell champs! Won't be the likes of these two in Australian rugby for a long time I spose. RWC winners too, can't take that away from them.

its been good watching you play fellas.
wont see the likes of you anytime soon :salut:

Thanks for the memories guys, good and bad, both absolute legends of the game and fantastic Australians as well.

Good ambassadors for the game in Australia

Thanks for all the good memories guys... good luck for the future.