'It feels like home, feels good': Larkham confirms Brumbies staff

Even with Scott Sio, Folau Fainga’a, Irae Simone and Tom Banks departing the ACT Brumbies, new coach Stephen Larkham believes their squad depth will be a strength when Super Rugby kicks off again in 2023. Larkham has returned as the head coach of the Brumbies after taking on the role of senior coach at Irish club Munster for the last three years.

But he has kept a keen eye on his former club and says he’s proud to be back at an organisation that exudes terrific depth in the lead-up to 2023. “A lot of good work, a lot of good recruiting work has been done,” he told reporters on Tuesday. “The depth of the squad is amazing at the moment.

“If you watch the footy from last year, we were playing some really good rugby, it was enjoyable to watch overseas.  We were not getting the spectators that I think we deserve. But we have had success in the Australian competition, we almost had success this year with the semi-final loss to the Blues, but it’s a young group and we are still building towards better performances.”

Larkham is joined by Laurie Fisher, Rod Seib and Dan Palmer as the Brumbies’ coaching staff for next season and he is confident the trio will suit their new roles. Returning to the club he appeared 127 times for and led either as an assistant or head coach between 2011-2017, Larkham said it’s just good to be back in Canberra.

“It feels like home – it feels good,” he said. “It’s just familiar, most of the staff are the same here at the Brumbies and it’s just exciting to get back into Super Rugby, we followed it when we were over there and all the boys over there follow Super Rugby and Brumbies is well known around the world. Excited to be here but also very proud of being a part of this organisation.”