I had a target on my back: Larkham on 2001 Lions series

Perth Now

14 hours ago

Stephen Larkham played in three Rugby World Cups and multiple Bledisloe Cup encounters among his 102 Tests but the Wallabies great rates the 2001 British and Irish Lions series as the most brutal he's been involved in.
The peerless Australian flyhalf was integral to the Wallabies' 2-1 series win, but it came at a cost with Larkham the primary target for the Lions' fierce defence.
Now Brumbies coach and then their Super Rugby playmaker, Larkham's series came to an end in game two in Melbourne, where Australia levelled the series.
After helping steer the Wallabies into the lead early in the second half by firing the pass that put Joe Roff through for his second try, the Lions ramped up the pressure on the No.10.
His head was almost taken off by Lions skipper Martin Johnson before he was ironed out by centre Rob Henderson with a high shot that left him clutching his shoulder.
Larkham soldiered on before he was flattened by another shoulder charge from bullocking Welsh No.8 Scott Quinnell, which ended his night in the 75th minute.
One newspaper story at the time described it as "Bodyline tactics", referencing the England cricket team's aggressive bowling attack on their 1932-33 Ashes tour.
The shoulder injury meant he was unable to play in the deciding Test in Sydney, with Elton Flatley taking over at 10 as Australia triumphed 29-23.
"I certainly had a target on my back, they certainly ran down my channel," Larkham told AAP.
"It was probably a plan to get into that channel, whether it was to get at me or not.
"The second Test, that's where I busted my shoulder, and the first Test there was a few line breaks through that channel as well so they were definitely coming through there."
The Wallabies entered that 2001 series as world champions but the Lions bared their teeth in the first Test in Brisbane in a commanding 29-13 win.
Larkham said his team were shocked by the "ferocity and intensity" of the tourists through the series, rating it as more physical than his three World Cup campaigns.
"Just like finals footy or Test match footy, where you've got your best players, and teams are evenly matched, it is extremely physical," he said.
"That was certainly part of the series in 2001, no doubt about that, more so than the Bledisloes and the Rugby Championship or the World Cup.
"When you look at the World Cup, you kind of get some easy opposition, whereas this is a three Test series against one of the best Test teams in the world.
"The physicality was certainly something that was evident in those 2001 games for sure."
Trailing 6-11 at halftime, Roff's two tries in Melbourne swung momentum in the home side's favour before they ground out a thrilling win in the last Test in Sydney.
With a "golden army" of fans embracing the Wallabies, Larkham said the series was very special to be a part of.
"That's sort of a golden period for Australian rugby as we were winning everything but we had to fight for that one," the now 51-year-old said.
"We were behind the eight-ball after that first game, and we worked really hard at training, and sort of things started to click and certainly, by the third Test, the team was going really well.
"You come out of that series and realised that it was very special to be part of it."