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David Barbeler
May 6, 2014, 3:39 pm
Stephen Larkham has a few tricks up his sleeve to negate his former mentor Jake White's inside knowledge in Saturday's Super Rugby blockbuster.
The top-of-the-table Super Rugby clash between the Brumbies and the Sharks has been made all the more intriguing by White's impending return to Canberra Stadium.
The World Cup-winning coach walked out on the Brumbies halfway through a four-year contract last October, just two months after the territory-based game plan he introduced at the club led them to the Super Rugby final.
Larkham, who stepped up to take over the reins alongside director of rugby Laurie Fisher, said he wasn't concerned about White's inside knowledge of the team's structures.
"You can't be spooked by any opposition," Larkham said.
"We've evolved."
That said, the Brumbies will still play it safe by adding the odd extra twist to their blueprints this Saturday.
"There's a few things, a few tactics, that we're going to introduce this week," Larkham said.
Larkham, who was an assistant under White, added that inside knowledge was a two-way street.
"Jake was here for two years and I learnt a lot while he was here," he said.
"I guess I know Jake's way - probably gives me an advantage."
White, who is famous for his pre-match mind games with opposition coaches and players, isn't holding a media conference until Thursday.
Larkham put that down to the demanding nature of an Australasian tour.
"It's a very difficult for those guys. I guess he wants to make sure it's a successful tour," he said.
"He'd be cautious coming into this match knowing it's not about him. It's about what's delivered on the field and I'm sure his focus is on that at the moment."
https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sp...row-off-white/
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