June 13, 2025 • 8 mins
Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham admits Super Rugby Pacific's final-four playoffs stage remains their Achilles heel heading into tonight's semifinal with the Chiefs in Hamilton.
The Canberra side have lost four consecutive semis in Aotearoa, and haven't made a final since 2013.
Larkham's been asked if they've learned from those experiences.
The winner will face the Crusaders In next week's grand final.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the All Sport Breakfast podcast with Darcy
Waldgrave from News Talk SEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Seven to nineteen Foo Fighter Songs? What Foo Fighter Songs
got running at it? You let me know please, nine
two nine two. We're joined now by mister Stephen Larkham,
without a doubt, one of the legends of the Wallabies.
He now coaches the Brumbies who are over in this
part of the world to take on the Chiefs this
(00:32):
evening for the right to play the Crusaders in the
final of Super Rugby Pacific.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Good morning, Steven morning, how are you good?
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Great to catch up again ahead of what will be
for you guys, possible history making being the first Australian
team to knock out a New Zealand team in New
Zealand in the history of Super Rugby. Have you carried
that much as something you look at.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
We're conscious of it for sure. Yeah. Obviously it's thrown
in our face by the media time we get to
the finals, but yeah, I think you know, and every
year it is a little bit different. The team that
we've got this year I think is combined really well
on the field. We've been very consistent with our performances,
and I think if you compare this year to last year,
we're in a better position.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
You look at peaking at the right time, and you've
said you're happy with where your men are out right now.
No changes ahead of this game, and that is the
kind of calm waters you need to sailing on, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
Yeah, it's the first time this season actually where we've
gone from game to game with no changes. We have
got a few injuries in the squad. Those guys are
longer term injuries, but yeah, it's great to have this
continuity go into the finals. I think we've learned a
lot out of the games over the last three games
that we've had. The Reds, the Crusaders and the Hurricanes
play a very similar style to what we're going to
(01:51):
see tonight against the Chiefs, and I think it's preppt
Ue really well.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
And I'm presuming you're going to bring a similar style too,
like you did at home last week, and I thinking
pick and drive right the way through or are you're
going to maybe throw in a bit of spice somewhere.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
I think there'll be balance. Hopefully there'll be some balance.
It depends on conditions. I think we've prepped for wet weather.
We've trained in Canberra in a bit of rain, We've
trained in Auckland in a bit of rain, and then yeah,
we're not sure what the forcus is going to do tonight.
But if it's wet, then yeah, maybe that game will
come into it a little bit more in terms of
the forwards trying to dominate through the middle. But equally,
(02:25):
you know that's going to be a real challenge for us.
If you look at the Chief game against the Blues
last week, they are pretty dominant with their forward carries
through the middle. So yeah, maybe both teams are doing
that at certain stages.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
We'll go through the tired L word, but it's very
very relevant discipline. You'd be happy with your team are
in that space.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
Stephen, That's an interesting one. Like if you look at
our defense, that's been a bit all over the place
this year. Our attack has been really good. I'm very
happy with that. Defensively, multiple different reasons why the opposition
are scoring and sort of giving them access inside our
twenty two is something we've spoken about. We want to
make sure that we are disciplined in around the ruck
(03:03):
and the off side lines. You can change a game,
can't it When you're defending exceptionally well, you hold them
out for ten phases, and we've seen that from the Chiefs.
They can hold the ball for long phases. You're holding
math ten phases, but you get a penalty advantage and
it just starts all over again inside the twenty two.
So yeah, it's something again we've addressed, we've spoken about,
but it has to sort of eventuate before we can
(03:25):
be comfortable.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
Lifting out of what happened last week against the Hurricanes.
Coupler threads here one of them. As everyone was predicting
that it was going to be a dead rubber and
the quarter final lessons weren't great. But as it turns out,
what the Blues did and what you did everything was
on it. You can't really read too much into that,
can you. Stephen?
Speaker 1 (03:46):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Now, I think you know when you at the start
of the week that there were going to be multiple
different scenarios there depending on what happened with the other games.
We spoke about making sure we have the mindset of
going in to win this game as it was a
sudden death game, and then we got the result just
as the boys were heading out to warm up the
ground announcer at GOEO Stadium broadcast that the Blues had won,
(04:08):
and then this game was now determining whether a team
was going to go through or not, so there was
a bit of an added pressure. I think the Hurricanes
boys watching them in the sheds, they were watching that
game and watching the result of that game before they
came out to warm up, and half of our guys
were out on the field and the other half were
sort of in their preparation mode. But as soon as
they heard it on the field, yeah, it sort of
(04:29):
changes the mindset a little bit. And likewise, this week,
coming into this game, there is a fair bit of
emotional pressure on you in terms of this could be
the end of the season. But I think our preparation
around that space has been really good this week. But
you're speaking about making sure that we're playing our game
and we're not thinking about the scoreboard.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
What did you learn out of last week? One thing
that you can win in a tussle, and I think
that that's exactly what the chief said. They didn't win,
but a very tight exchange tip for tat back and
forth playing, you want to be more dominant. But out
of those exchanges. What was the key lesson there?
Speaker 3 (05:05):
I think if you go back for the last twelve
months or or longer the last season for us as well,
we were really good last year at winning those close games.
This year we've probably had four or five games there
where we've had the opportunity to win it at the
end and we haven't been able to take it. But
we certainly did that on the weekend good pressure on
(05:25):
the Hurricanes. We did it with the Reds a couple
of weeks before that as well, So it's something that's
been building through the season. I wouldn't say that we've
been as proficient as we were last year, but yeah,
it's probably something that will eventuate in the game. Probably
has expected the games, like every other game this year
pretty much, they've come down to the last five ten
(05:45):
minutes of the game. So yeah, we sort of we've
spoken a lot with our game controllers around what that
looks like and what we need to at the end
of the game.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
How's Andy Muller hit. I think he's played every minute
so far, hasn't he? Is he a bit beat down?
Speaker 3 (06:00):
No? No, I mean it's kind of what happens in
the squad, right You know you have a pretty heavy
rotation with you four because they get through most of
the physical stuff and it'll be the same with most teams.
Your wingers, full back, outside backs generally have to play
through euty minutes. It's been amazing for him to play
every minute of every game at his age and with
the energy that he brings to every training session and
(06:22):
the games. He's been outstanding for us.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Got a great time at the front. I've talked about
the pick and drive, Pollard picking up a couple from
the hooker's role, and I love the way they're still
referring to James Slipper as a veteran because it's true,
but he's still playing like a young man. He's still
got everything you require from it, if not with more
smarts as an older guy.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
Yeah, I think it's been his best season. We've got
a really good program around the scrum this year. Sort
of learns a lot from Krono with the Wallabies and
sort of transferred into our program. And he's been outstanding
with the scrumb both Tea and Now and Billy Pollard
in that front row to start the game so have
been outstanding, I think, and then around the Paddock. Yeah,
(07:03):
he's been. I think he's been one of his best years.
He's certainly fresh coming into this game and he's been
He's been one of our best trainers throughout the year,
and he's certainly one of our best performers.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
I'm struggling to forgive you guys still for taking Cron,
but there you go. That is another story. Finally, Steve Lakerman,
thanks so much for your time. The Chiefs are full
of superstars. Can you put a cross here on the
back of anyone? And if you've got to target someone
to watch out for or is that too dangerous?
Speaker 3 (07:32):
Yeah, I probably don't need to say that. You know
who the stars in that team? Yeah, but a bit
across the board. You kind of go into these games
not targeting one person because you know the people around
them are very good. We just have to be on
our game across the park. I think when you talk
talk about you know x X facted players in opposition teams,
you've got to make sure your defense is up to
(07:52):
scratch and certainly something we've spent a lot of time
on this week.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Dedication and trust in your insides and out. Stephen Lark
and he coached the Brombie. Hey, thanks for being so
available to us this year. All things going well and good.
We'll chatt again next week.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
Thanks Darcy.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Cheers For more from The All Sport Breakfast with Darcy Waltergrave,
listen live to News Talk set B on Saturday mornings,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the All Sport Breakfast podcast with Darcy
Waldgrave from News Talk SEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Seven to nineteen Foo Fighter Songs? What Foo Fighter Songs
got running at it? You let me know please, nine
two nine two. We're joined now by mister Stephen Larkham,
without a doubt, one of the legends of the Wallabies.
He now coaches the Brumbies who are over in this
part of the world to take on the Chiefs this
(00:32):
evening for the right to play the Crusaders in the
final of Super Rugby Pacific.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Good morning, Steven morning, how are you good?
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Great to catch up again ahead of what will be
for you guys, possible history making being the first Australian
team to knock out a New Zealand team in New
Zealand in the history of Super Rugby. Have you carried
that much as something you look at.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
We're conscious of it for sure. Yeah. Obviously it's thrown
in our face by the media time we get to
the finals, but yeah, I think you know, and every
year it is a little bit different. The team that
we've got this year I think is combined really well
on the field. We've been very consistent with our performances,
and I think if you compare this year to last year,
we're in a better position.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
You look at peaking at the right time, and you've
said you're happy with where your men are out right now.
No changes ahead of this game, and that is the
kind of calm waters you need to sailing on, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
Yeah, it's the first time this season actually where we've
gone from game to game with no changes. We have
got a few injuries in the squad. Those guys are
longer term injuries, but yeah, it's great to have this
continuity go into the finals. I think we've learned a
lot out of the games over the last three games
that we've had. The Reds, the Crusaders and the Hurricanes
play a very similar style to what we're going to
(01:51):
see tonight against the Chiefs, and I think it's preppt
Ue really well.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
And I'm presuming you're going to bring a similar style too,
like you did at home last week, and I thinking
pick and drive right the way through or are you're
going to maybe throw in a bit of spice somewhere.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
I think there'll be balance. Hopefully there'll be some balance.
It depends on conditions. I think we've prepped for wet weather.
We've trained in Canberra in a bit of rain, We've
trained in Auckland in a bit of rain, and then yeah,
we're not sure what the forcus is going to do tonight.
But if it's wet, then yeah, maybe that game will
come into it a little bit more in terms of
the forwards trying to dominate through the middle. But equally,
(02:25):
you know that's going to be a real challenge for us.
If you look at the Chief game against the Blues
last week, they are pretty dominant with their forward carries
through the middle. So yeah, maybe both teams are doing
that at certain stages.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
We'll go through the tired L word, but it's very
very relevant discipline. You'd be happy with your team are
in that space.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
Stephen, That's an interesting one. Like if you look at
our defense, that's been a bit all over the place
this year. Our attack has been really good. I'm very
happy with that. Defensively, multiple different reasons why the opposition
are scoring and sort of giving them access inside our
twenty two is something we've spoken about. We want to
make sure that we are disciplined in around the ruck
(03:03):
and the off side lines. You can change a game,
can't it When you're defending exceptionally well, you hold them
out for ten phases, and we've seen that from the Chiefs.
They can hold the ball for long phases. You're holding
math ten phases, but you get a penalty advantage and
it just starts all over again inside the twenty two.
So yeah, it's something again we've addressed, we've spoken about,
but it has to sort of eventuate before we can
(03:25):
be comfortable.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
Lifting out of what happened last week against the Hurricanes.
Coupler threads here one of them. As everyone was predicting
that it was going to be a dead rubber and
the quarter final lessons weren't great. But as it turns out,
what the Blues did and what you did everything was
on it. You can't really read too much into that,
can you. Stephen?
Speaker 1 (03:46):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Now, I think you know when you at the start
of the week that there were going to be multiple
different scenarios there depending on what happened with the other games.
We spoke about making sure we have the mindset of
going in to win this game as it was a
sudden death game, and then we got the result just
as the boys were heading out to warm up the
ground announcer at GOEO Stadium broadcast that the Blues had won,
(04:08):
and then this game was now determining whether a team
was going to go through or not, so there was
a bit of an added pressure. I think the Hurricanes
boys watching them in the sheds, they were watching that
game and watching the result of that game before they
came out to warm up, and half of our guys
were out on the field and the other half were
sort of in their preparation mode. But as soon as
they heard it on the field, yeah, it sort of
(04:29):
changes the mindset a little bit. And likewise, this week,
coming into this game, there is a fair bit of
emotional pressure on you in terms of this could be
the end of the season. But I think our preparation
around that space has been really good this week. But
you're speaking about making sure that we're playing our game
and we're not thinking about the scoreboard.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
What did you learn out of last week? One thing
that you can win in a tussle, and I think
that that's exactly what the chief said. They didn't win,
but a very tight exchange tip for tat back and
forth playing, you want to be more dominant. But out
of those exchanges. What was the key lesson there?
Speaker 3 (05:05):
I think if you go back for the last twelve
months or or longer the last season for us as well,
we were really good last year at winning those close games.
This year we've probably had four or five games there
where we've had the opportunity to win it at the
end and we haven't been able to take it. But
we certainly did that on the weekend good pressure on
(05:25):
the Hurricanes. We did it with the Reds a couple
of weeks before that as well, So it's something that's
been building through the season. I wouldn't say that we've
been as proficient as we were last year, but yeah,
it's probably something that will eventuate in the game. Probably
has expected the games, like every other game this year
pretty much, they've come down to the last five ten
(05:45):
minutes of the game. So yeah, we sort of we've
spoken a lot with our game controllers around what that
looks like and what we need to at the end
of the game.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
How's Andy Muller hit. I think he's played every minute
so far, hasn't he? Is he a bit beat down?
Speaker 3 (06:00):
No? No, I mean it's kind of what happens in
the squad, right You know you have a pretty heavy
rotation with you four because they get through most of
the physical stuff and it'll be the same with most teams.
Your wingers, full back, outside backs generally have to play
through euty minutes. It's been amazing for him to play
every minute of every game at his age and with
the energy that he brings to every training session and
(06:22):
the games. He's been outstanding for us.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Got a great time at the front. I've talked about
the pick and drive, Pollard picking up a couple from
the hooker's role, and I love the way they're still
referring to James Slipper as a veteran because it's true,
but he's still playing like a young man. He's still
got everything you require from it, if not with more
smarts as an older guy.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
Yeah, I think it's been his best season. We've got
a really good program around the scrum this year. Sort
of learns a lot from Krono with the Wallabies and
sort of transferred into our program. And he's been outstanding
with the scrumb both Tea and Now and Billy Pollard
in that front row to start the game so have
been outstanding, I think, and then around the Paddock. Yeah,
(07:03):
he's been. I think he's been one of his best years.
He's certainly fresh coming into this game and he's been
He's been one of our best trainers throughout the year,
and he's certainly one of our best performers.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
I'm struggling to forgive you guys still for taking Cron,
but there you go. That is another story. Finally, Steve Lakerman,
thanks so much for your time. The Chiefs are full
of superstars. Can you put a cross here on the
back of anyone? And if you've got to target someone
to watch out for or is that too dangerous?
Speaker 3 (07:32):
Yeah, I probably don't need to say that. You know
who the stars in that team? Yeah, but a bit
across the board. You kind of go into these games
not targeting one person because you know the people around
them are very good. We just have to be on
our game across the park. I think when you talk
talk about you know x X facted players in opposition teams,
you've got to make sure your defense is up to
(07:52):
scratch and certainly something we've spent a lot of time
on this week.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Dedication and trust in your insides and out. Stephen Lark
and he coached the Brombie. Hey, thanks for being so
available to us this year. All things going well and good.
We'll chatt again next week.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
Thanks Darcy.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Cheers For more from The All Sport Breakfast with Darcy Waltergrave,
listen live to News Talk set B on Saturday mornings,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
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