Rugby Union - by Craig Hill

The men behind the machines
by Tim Gavel

In 1995, the announcement was made that Rugby Union was to enter the professional era the following year. Super12 was to be established.
There was little to indicate the impact that it would have on the Canberra sporting landscape over a decade later.

The journey has carried with it a number of footballers who have become household names by virtue of their performances on the field for the Brumbies and the Wallabies.

Steve Larkham and George Gregan are the last of the foundation players and it's only fitting that the Eastern Grandstand is named in their honour tonight.

Larkham, a scrumhalf who had found it hard to establish himself in one position, burst on to the scene in a big way in the 1995 finals series for the Canberra Kookaburras.

He came on as a replacement centre in the first grade preliminary final against Randwick.

I (Tim Gavel) remember vividly the excitement generated by his performance that day at North Sydney Oval.

It prompted veteran coach Kim Thurbon to push Larkham's case to the coach of the newly-formed Brumbies, Rod Macqueen.

Larkham went on the Brumbies' pre-season tour of Japan and the rest is history. He has gone on to become one of the greatest flyhalves of all time.

His teammates didn't know what to make of his extremely *quiet nature; so much so that ACT teammates Caputo and Adam Friend nicknamed him 'Bernie' after the corpse in the film Weekend at Bernie's.

Despite his status in the world of rugby union and the wider community, Steve Larkham is most content around his family, and a more unaffected person you are unlikely to meet.

It's almost a case of why the fuss? It's not uncommon to see Larkham running the water for his beloved Wests in the local competition.

Injuries have taken their toll on his body; they have almost taken on a personality of their own.
The reason for the number of injuries is obvious as you watch him launch himself at far bigger players.

Larkham started with the Brumbies as a full-back.
There was, however, always a suspicion that his prodigious talents would be well applied at No10.

During the end-of-season Wallaby tour of 1997 when just about everything was going wrong for coach Greg Smith, he fortuitously selected Larkham at flyhalf for the mid-week game against the Irish province Munster.

Larkham was at his brilliant best and a legend was born.

When his playing days are over Steve Larkham may be called upon to present his body to medical research, such is the pounding it has received over the years.

One thing that won't need to be studied is his unquestionable loyalty to the Brumbies.
It became so apparent to NSW and Queensland that he wouldn't even consider rival offers that in recent years they made little or no effort to recruit him.