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Axed Wallabies coach Stephen Larkham lands new role at Munster
Munster and the IRFU have confirmed that former Wallaby assistant Stephen Larkham will join the province as senior coach ahead of the 2019/20 season.
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Larkham has signed with the province until June 2022, subject to obtaining a work permit, having spent the last four years working for Rugby Australia.
Commenting on the appointment, Munster’s acting CEO Philip Quinn said: “We are very pleased to add Stephen to our coaching team and look forward to welcoming him to the province in August.
“Stephen’s values are very closely aligned with those of Munster and huge credit must go to the Professional Game Board and Johann (van Graan) for their work in bringing him to the province.
“Stephen is a very successful coach who had offers from other clubs, so we are delighted that he has decided to join Munster.
?? We are pleased to confirm that Stephen Larkham will join Munster Rugby ahead of the 2019/20 season. https://t.co/qAm4B4JDd5#SUAF ?
— Munster Rugby (@Munsterrugby) June 14, 2019
“We now have a four-man coaching team with head coach Johann van Graan supported by senior coach Stephen, forwards coach Graham Rowntree and defence coach JP Ferreira. It has been our intention to recruit one more member for our coaching ticket and we will evaluate our needs prior to progressing with that process.”
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Munster’s coaching reshuffle was accelerated by the departures of Jerry Flannery and Felix Jones at the end of the season.
Speaking about his move to Munster, Larkham said: “I’m very excited and honoured to be joining. A big part of my decision lies in the values of the club and the importance they place on community.
We are pleased to confirm Graham Rowntree will join Munster Rugby as forwards coach on completion of his duties with Georgia Rugby in the Rugby World Cup.
Full details > > https://t.co/dNcKDApmH3#SUAF ? pic.twitter.com/b5ttM9oc2W
— Munster Rugby (@Munsterrugby) June 4, 2019
“I have come from a very similar environment and know how effective and enjoyable that can be. I have had a number of conversations with Johann and I’m very excited to be working with him, as our views on rugby are very similar.
“I’m also looking forward to meeting and working with not only the other coaches in Graham and JP but also the very talented group of players that Munster have.”
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Larkham’s coaching career began at the Brumbies in 2011 with the former Australia international elevated to the head coach role at the Super Rugby side within three years.
Munster Rugby and the IRFU can confirm that Forwards Coach Jerry Flannery and Backline & Attack Coach Felix Jones will depart the province at the end of the season.
Full details > > https://t.co/W9hxvb3MsI#SUAF ? pic.twitter.com/2QZEEU847t
— Munster Rugby (@Munsterrugby) May 7, 2019
His success at the Brumbies led to Larkham’s appointment to the position of Wallabies attack coach on a part-time basis in 2015, a role he combined with his head coach duties at the Brumbies.
He held this role as Australia reached the Rugby World Cup final in 2015 and departed the Brumbies in 2017 to work full-time for Rugby Australia.
WATCH: Episode four of Rugby Explorer, the RugbyPass series hosted by Jim Hamilton, takes a trek through Italy, the nation most at risk if relegation is introduced in the Six Nations
Comments on RugbyPass
Are the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
2 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
2 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
30 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to comments