Larkham agrees Edinburgh move

[NewsBot]

Larkham agrees Edinburgh move

Australian fly half Stephen Larkham has signed a two-year contract to join Scottish club Edinburgh after this year's World Cup, the BBC reported.

[The Lone Hydrangea]

Great coup for Scottish rugby! Bernie can show them how to play rugby again. Perhaps our Edinburgh correspondent Em-forcer can shine a light on this for us. Em?

[JediKnight]

Hope Bernie's not expecting to earn any money. Scottish rugby is pretty much bankrupt.

[prop53]

yet another waiting for the World Cup, move on now and let the players who want to give everything have a spot.

[Burgs]

If Bernie goes early we're rooted...

[prop53]

yeah but at least we will be growing and be giving our future players some experience, build for the future not giving the old ones one last chance.

[The Lone Hydrangea]

Royally shafted. It would be ugly.

[Burgs]

Wallabies will lighten Larkham's load

Rupert Guinness
Wednesday, May 16, 2007

MERCURIAL Wallabies five-eighth Stephen Larkham will embark on his final World Cup campaign with a reduced Test schedule to minimise the risk of being injured.

Larkham, a World Cup winner in 1999 and a runner-up four years later, is regarded as vital to Australia's chances of success in France later this year.

Considering the many injuries that have plagued his career - and that a permanent back-up at No. 10 is yet to be found - the Wallabies can ill-afford to have the 32-year-old hurt again. Consequently, Larkham will not take part in every one of Australia's seven Tests scheduled before the Wallabies' World Cup opener against Japan on September 8.

"I have spoken to [Wallabies backs coach] Scott Johnson about that at length … about essentially resting from some games," Larkham said.

"We have a rough plan in place. It all depends on injuries - not just for myself but other team members - and how well the team is faring."

Connolly admitted that the purpose of preserving Larkham by not playing him in all seven Tests was to make sure he reached France fit and healthy - and at his peak.

"He will play a fair percentage of those [Tests] but we're very mindful of getting him to the World Cup fresh and ready to go," Connolly said.

Larkham, with 95 Test caps and poised to pass the 100 mark this year, will leave a huge void in both the Wallabies and the Brumbies when he heads to Scotland next year to play for Edinburgh for two seasons.

The Wallabies are keen to decide upon the No.1 understudy for him this season, with squad members Sam Norton-Knight and Berrick Barnes in the equation.

One of those two will be cut from the Wallabies squad and join Australia A for their Pacific Nations Cup opener against Tonga at Sydney on Friday week.

"We will review the squad after the Wales Tests. We may see a change," Connolly said. "But we have to understand who the back-up to Stephen is very clearly in case something happens in the World Cup."

Larkham said that while winning a second World Cup was his dream, he was also excited about mentoring his likely successor at five-eighth.

"There are a number coming through who have the potential to play for Australia for a number of years," Larkham said. "Hopefully, I will get a lot of time with some of those players to pass on a bit of knowledge."