Larkham ‘rips’ into Ledesma

Rugby update

The banter wars have begun with Wallabies assistant Stephen Larkham taking a massive swipe, albeit entirely tongue-incheek, at the coaching ability of new Argentina boss and good mate Mario Ledesma. Now in charge of Los Pumas, Ledesma served as Australia’s scrum coach for three years but will go head-to-head with his former colleagues for the first time in Saturday’s Rugby Championship Test on the Gold Coast.

So far, it appears they’re relishing the occasion.

Larkham did well to maintain a completely straight face when he delivered sledge after sarcastic sledge about Ledesma to reporters on Tuesday.

“He was here for a couple of years as an assistant coach and, honestly, I don’t know how he’s a head coach now,” Larkham said. “He struggled as an assistant coach.

“I don’t know what he’s going to come up with this weekend.

“I expect a fair bit of scrummaging, because that’s what he’s good at.

“I can’t see how he’s had the limited success he’s had already.”

Larkham continued by tipping Ledesma would simply rip off the Wallabies’ playbook he helped create during his tenure under Michael Cheika.

“I’ve seen it already, particularly the scrumming stuff. A lot of the techniques I’d spoken to him about he’s implementing now,” he said.

“It’s going to be an interesting game and something I’m looking forward to watching, probably more so for the number of errors they’re going to make.”

In reality, Larkham’s ribbing is a sign of how highly-regarded Ledesma is by Wallabies staffers and how close they remain. When Larkham dropped the facade, he admitted Australia had to be on guard if they are to back up their gutsy win over South Africa last weekend.

Most of the Argentinian squad have played together all year in Super Rugby for the Jaguares, who were coached by Ledesma before he took up the Test coaching job last month.