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Larkham Edinburgh deal in trouble
By Peter Jenkins
July 08, 2007
STEPHEN Larkham's farewell Test on Australia soil was marred last night by dramas in Scotland that could cost the Wallaby a $700,000 overseas deal.
The veteran five-eighth, who won his 100th cap in the victory over the Springboks at Telstra Stadium, is poised to join the Edinburgh club on a two-year deal after the World Cup in France.
But a row between Edinburgh bosses and the Scottish Rugby Union led to angry warnings yesterday from the national body that they would consider closing down the glamour club based at Murrayfield.
The two organisations are at loggerheads over funding Edinburgh officials claim they are owed by the SRU.
As the disagreement escalates, Edinburgh have refused to release frontline players to the Scottish squad currently in training for the World Cup and are also threatening to take legal action in their fight over the money.
A source in Scotland said the SRU has no intention of shifting its stance and that Edinburgh's future was under a cloud less than two months before the northern hemisphere season begins.
Larkham rejected offers from France and Japan to take up the contract in Scotland, said to be worth more than $350,000 a season.