Super Rugby
Brumbies to lure Larkham out of retirement?
ESPN Staff
May 10, 2012
The Brumbies' attack coach Stephen Larkham, Brumbies training session, Northwood School, Durban, South Africa, May 3, 2012
Could former Brumbies favourite Stephen Larkham be poised for a surprising return to the Super Rugby stage? © Getty Images
Enlarge

Brumbies coach Jake White has hinted that he may ask attack coach Stephen Larkham to solve his side's injury crisis - by coming out of retirement.

The Wallabies legend has not played Super Rugby for five years but White is convinced that the 37-year-old could fill the void left by injuries to playmakers Matt Toomua and Christian Lealiifano.

"He runs all of our plays, he knows our plays - we would be crazy not to ask him, and it is a real option I could have Stephen Larkham running around for three games," White told the Sydney Morning Herald. "I would never force him to play, but when two fly-halves go down you have to think outside the box."

Larkham, who helped the Brumbies claim the Super Rugby crown in 2001 and 2004, won a total of 102 Test caps in an 11-year international career that included Australia's Rugby World Cup triumph in 1999.

Having parted company with the Brumbies in 2007, he brought the curtain down on his glitering career following a two-year spell with the Ricoh Black Rams in Japan but would return to Canberra Stadium in 2010 as attack coach.

"If we think he can add value to us then we will pursue it," added White. "...he's 37 but there aren't many guys out there and the ones who are, they aren't much younger. If he says to me he would play, then of course we will go with that."

Lealiifano was ruled out for the rest of the year season after he broke his ankle in last weekend's victory over the Waratahs while Toomua was sidelined for the rest of the campaign with a knee injury back in April. But despite that double blow, the Brumbies still lead the chase for the play-offs in the Australian conference.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

Live Sports

Communication error please reload the page.