Rugby videos of tackles, tries, funny incidents and more: Welcome back Stephen Larkham

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Welcome back Stephen Larkham - Fitzgerald tackle

Last night the Barbarians and Ireland met in an international friendly at Kingsholm, Gloucester. The game featured some familiar faces from around the world, none more so than Baa Baa's flyhalf for the evening, Wallaby legend, Stephen Larkham.

Larkham has been out of rugby since his unfortunate injury in the World Cup and was meant to be heading to Edinburgh to start a new career there. That fell through though, and this season Larkham has been seen sitting on the sidelines as an anxious spectator at Brumbies home games.

The latest word is that he's going over to Japan to finish his career with a nice pay packet there. He's taken some time out though to play for the Barbarians, possibly as his last big showing on the international stage.

So what better way to welcome him back to rugby than with a big hit from a young man who was probably a teenager when Larkham was playing test rugby. Luke Fitzgerald put in this great hit, reminding Larkham that there's no such thing as an easy retirement from top flight rugby.

Note: Full highlights from this game are on the way, so check back soon.

good tackle. Fitzgerald has huge potential and was one of the few positives from a ver poor game last night. Bloody Ferris (no. 6 for Ireland) ! He's a great tackler and runs good lines but has terrible hands !

A shame they took Larkham off he's always a joy to watch !

By Anonymous, at May 28, 2008 5:15 pm
Fitzgerald is not physcially big enough to play centre....he will be eaten by Kiwis/Aussies... a world of pain awaits compared to the 2nd string Baa baas on display last night...

By Anonymous, at May 28, 2008 5:37 pm
could it be considered a dangerous tackle as fitzy didnt put larkham with care? just wanna put it out there so someone in the know can tell me, coz im just curious. dont want anyone gobing off saying "what the fcuk you talking bout? dipshit, thats a quality tackle" etc.

however, who would care about putting larkham down safely? its good to see king crim back again though. fucking nice tackle nonetheless. fitzy will play wing/benchwarmer in nz i bet.

By Anonymous, at May 28, 2008 5:46 pm
the future of ireland were on display last nite, bowe, fitzy , kearny ect alll quality young players who will b pushing for places

By Anonymous, at May 28, 2008 5:59 pm
hit son!!

By Anonymous, at May 28, 2008 6:51 pm
hit son!!

By Anonymous, at May 28, 2008 6:51 pm
paul volly, this isnt a dangerous tackle. you don't have to put someone down gently, care means not on the head or neck.

however, nowadays almost every dump tackle is considered 'dangerous' by those wankers at the IRB, so i think that's why you're confused. Rugby Union is a brutal game, and it should stay that way not some kind of 7's with 15 men (ELVs).

Larkham wasn't expecting the hit, and Fitzgerald was in the perfect place to make it, thats why it was so hard.

why wasn't O'Gara playing?

By Anonymous, at May 28, 2008 7:08 pm
The pass Larkham receives is not that great (was it actually for him or the center coming in ?)
Great tackle nevertheless...

By jay, at May 28, 2008 7:14 pm
Come on now, Jay. The centre doesn't even put his hands up to try and catch the ball! It's clearly a dummy run.
Great tackle too.

By Anonymous, at May 28, 2008 8:20 pm
re flanker: thanks very much for clearing that one up. you're right about your point on nearly every tackle being deemed as a dangerous one. and i have a feeling the reason ROG wasnt in the squad was because the munster guys werent in the squad after the heineken cup final.

By Anonymous, at May 28, 2008 8:36 pm
re flanker: thanks very much for clearing that one up. you're right about your point on nearly every tackle being deemed as a dangerous one. and i have a feeling the reason ROG wasnt in the squad was because the munster guys werent in the squad after the heineken cup final.

By Anonymous, at May 28, 2008 8:36 pm
second string Baa-Baa's? the was a pretty stacked team, I would have called Ireland the second string team

By Anonymous, at May 28, 2008 10:33 pm
Brilliant!

By Don, at May 28, 2008 10:59 pm
Have u got the footage of Neil Best beating up Visagie?

By Anonymous, at May 28, 2008 11:05 pm
Yeah i wud love to see the neil best punch ups lol

By Anonymous, at May 29, 2008 5:00 am
over reaction this was not a big tackle at all

By Anonymous, at May 29, 2008 6:27 am
Ah he's not bulky but he's incredibly strong ! His dad is Dessie Fitzgerald and he's supposed to be doing some ridiculous weights. I think wing might suit him better but in the next few years he'll really come on.

I love Bowe but he's just too slow for international level. I really hope he proves me wrong but he needs to find some pace to keep his place

By Anonymous, at May 29, 2008 12:29 pm
that was a great tackle, shame it was ruined by him worrying him about getting cited. he just droped him rather than slaming him to the ground legally. tackling is supposed to be destructive

By Anonymous, at May 29, 2008 7:54 pm
People get too bogged down with size these days

Just look at the size of O'Driscoll when he began, I know that the game has come on a lot, but it was O'Driscoll's pace and speed of thought that got him through his first season or two.

Unfortunately in Ireland we don't have the luxury of huge players with the agility and speed of every other winger/centre as our development isn't as sophisticated

but if you were to ask me if I wanted a Kevin Maggs type player in the centre in New Zealand and Oz or Luke Fitzgerald I'd pick the latter, a clever player who's only twenty and Ireland's second youngest cap who can read the game so well, and is agile as a cat can offer a lot more to our game than a lump of muscle, and has a lot more time to do weights and slowly reach the size that is "necessary" for international rugby

By Anonymous, at May 30, 2008 12:04 am
fitzy is a winger until drico and co. retire, then he will roam free at 13 and step the poop out of everyone!

By Anonymous, at May 30, 2008 4:32 am
Taught the rule was that you have to bring the player you tackled to ground 'Safely'?

By Anonymous, at June 13, 2008 7:31 pm
There is a whole world of difference between safely and comfortably!

By Anonymous, at June 22, 2008 4:09 am
Whoever sayed bowe hasnt got pace just saying that your a complete fool

By Anonymous, at October 14, 2009 8:40 pm