By Jim Morton
January 16, 2008 12:00am
WALLABIES great Stephen Larkham is off to Tokyo, announcing today he will finish his glittering rugby union career - so cruelly shortened at the Rugby World Cup - in Japan.
Larkham today announced he had signed a three-year contract with Tokyo club Ricoh Black Rams which starts in April.
The 33-year-old five-eighth was relieved to finally settle his future after a prior lucrative contract with Edinburgh collapsed when the club was taken over by administrators appointed by the Scotland Rugby Union.
"I've always wanted to play rugby in Japan, and now get the chance to do so a little earlier than expected," Larkham said.
"My family is very excited by the opportunity to live in Tokyo and I am looking forward to playing for Ricoh.
"I'm currently enjoying the longest rest of my rugby career and I'm feeling mentally and physically refreshed."
Larkham's 102-Test international career ended in tears in October when he was forced to watch Australia's upset 12-10 World Cup quarter-final loss to England from the sidelines in Marseille.
The Brumbies maestro played only one match in his World Cup swansong after suffering a knee injury in training and then undergoing surgery twice after a subsequent infection.
Larkham's agent Jason Macarthur declared the playmaker the biggest-name signing in Japanese rugby history, and a major boost for the game in that country.
"Stephen's decision is a huge coup for Japanese rugby and its growing fan base," he said.
Macarthur also confirmed a claim for compensation would be pursued against the former owners and administrators of Edinburgh.
[/b]
