12 days of rugby: Stephen Larkham’s heroics in 1999

With the festive season in full swing, it’s time to continue our 12 days of rugby. Next up, it’s the rare sight of a Stephen Larkham drop-goal in the huge 1999 World Cup semi-final.

Lead-up to that special rugby moment

Stephen Larkham was a full-back in his early years but it turned out he was perfectly suited to the pivot position with his passing ability and decision-making skills out of the top drawer. Alongside fellow Brumby George Gregan, they formed an outstanding partnership at both Super 12 and international level, helping the Brumbies and Wallabies to unprecedented success during their time in the key playmaking positions.

With the fly-half rarely taking place-kicking duties, it allowed Larkham to concentrate on dictating proceedings from the 10 slot. The masterstroke came from Australia head coach Rod Macqueen, who decided to shift the youngster from the 15 jersey, and it was a move which many credit as the reason for Australia claiming the 1999 World Cup title.

Going into the global tournament, Macqueen’s men were already one of the favourites and then sailed through to the semi-finals when they faced South Africa in the last-four. They were expected to defeat the defending champions, who had lost four on the bounce earlier in the year, but the Boks had a relative unknown in their team by the name of Jannie de Beer that had stunned England in the quarters.

It was a kicking masterclass from De Beer as he slotted an incredible five drop-goals in a 44-21 victory over the Red Rose. That threat needed to be closed down and, indeed, Macqueen’s charges limited him to just one over the course of the 80 minutes.

Instead, the battle took place off the tee as Matt Burke and De Beer traded three-pointers throughout the encounter, leaving the game poised at 21-21. It needed extra time to decide the contest and that’s where Larkham came to the fore, producing an act which proved decisive in his side lifting the Webb Ellis Cup. After collecting the ball 48 metres out he surprised everybody by swinging his right boot at the ball, but the playmaker connected wonderfully as it sailed between the uprights.

#TBT

Take a bow, Stephen Larkham 🙌#RWC1999 pic.twitter.com/eWKMT5soSW

— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) January 24, 2019

The Springboks, and its drop-goal master, had been usurped as the Wallabies took control of the match and sealed their place in the final with a 27-21 triumph. It was one of the great World Cup moments and gave Australia the momentum they needed to claim the win. The Wallabies then faced France, who had stunned outright favourites New Zealand in the previous round but, with Larkham in typically brilliant form, they were too good for Les Bleus and duly lifted their second world title.

Why it will live long in the memory

The idea of any Australian – let alone a player that barely kicked off the tee and had dodgy eyesight – scoring a drop-goal, was an alien one, but suddenly Stephen Larkham decided to do it at a crucial stage of a World Cup semi-final. Kicking was certainly not Larkham’s strength. He could control games well out of hand and, if desperately required, would take the responsibility from the tee, but it was not something he was particularly comfortable with.

It therefore meant drop-goals were just not what he or the Wallabies did, particularly in comparison to England supremo Jonny Wilkinson, who played around the same time and was renowned for his dead-eye boot.

Part of the issue early on in Larkham’s career was his poor eyesight. He could barely see the posts, meaning a shot at goal was rather inadvisable but, when there’s a place in a World Cup final on the line, players will evidently try anything.

Equally remarkable was the distance the fly-half took aim from. When he collected the ball from just inside the Springbok half, few expected him to have a go. And more to the point, even fewer expected it to sail between the posts, but the then 25-year-old connected perfectly and gave his side the lead in extra-time.

Although there was still time for the South Africans to hit back, their spirits had been crushed by the genius of Larkham and Australia would go on to claim a 27-21 triumph at Twickenham. Seven days later, they would dominate France and lift the Webb Ellis Cup for the second time, having first won it in 1991.

How Australian fans must now yearn for the brilliance of Larkham after failing to win the world title since that outstanding tournament in 1999. The pivot was incredibly gifted, a unique talent in many ways, and you question whether they would have beaten the Boks without his intervention. It remains one of the sport’s standout moments.