Off the field: Inside the home of rugby legend Stephen Larkham

It’s kind of ironic that Brumbies head coach Stephen Larkham has spent the past few seasons cooking up the club’s recipe for success in what used to be the butler’s pantry of his Canberra home.

After a renovation, the space was rejigged to become his home office, where he can sit and review games, work on training schedules and match-day strategies.

The sink in the corner may be superfluous, but the addition of a personal bar is perhaps handy when analysing games that didn’t go the Brumbies’ way.

It’s also where Larkham keeps his memorabilia marking his playing career.

But don’t expect a “man cave” complete with framed jerseys and showy displays – his humility (alongside his ability to read the play and elusive running style) has always been a trademark of his game.

There’s a photo of Larkham with teammates Joe Roff and Ben Tune after the 1999 World Cup win against France, some trophies, a couple of woollen Test caps and other snaps capturing his early days with the Brumbies.

“I know a lot of people put these kinds of things on display, but no one really comes into this room,” Larkham says.

“We thought about painting the old cabinet and putting it all out in the house, but we’ve been talking about that for a while.”

Larkham, his wife Jacqueline and their daughters Jaimee, 22, and Tianha, 18, have been living in their Inner South home since 2011.

It was purchased in 2005, but before they could move in, Larkham signed with the Ricoh Black Rams, and the young family instead lived in Japan for a few seasons.

The heritage home was designed by Oakley and Parkes, the renowned architects behind several early prestige homes in the nation’s capital, including The Lodge.

In 2012, the Larkhams embarked on renovations to transform the interiors into a modern, light-filled and family-friendly space.

Completed by Brother Projects under the direction of Fine Line Design, the home today features an open-plan living area centred on a five-metre stone-topped island bench for the family to gather around.

Blackbutt timber flooring throughout is softened by large rugs, while aspects of the Japanese aesthetic have been subtly incorporated, visible in the clean lines and clever storage options.

A separate family room opens onto a north-facing outdoor terrace and pool area, complete with a fire pit.

Larkham still hosts the Brumbies’ annual Christmas party in their backyard, but he only smiles when asked how many props a trampoline can hold and who gravitates to the hot tub.

On the large 1500-square-metre block, the surrounding garden of flowering shrubs and established trees serves as a welcome retreat.

“I loved living and playing in Japan, but everything was on top of you,” Larkham says. “We lived right under a motorway and I developed claustrophobia, but that disappeared when we moved back here.

“It’s spacious inside and around the house, and instantly everything just felt more comfortable.”

Larkham enjoys tending to his garden but wouldn’t call himself a gardener.

“I couldn’t tell you what the plants are called,” he says.

“But I enjoy mowing and [pruning] … there’s something calming about it, a sense of achievement in keeping it all under control.”

When spare time around the rugby schedule allows, he and Jacqueline also enjoy walking their pomsky dog Skye (a pomeranian-husky cross) up around Parliament House.

They bought her in Ireland when Larkham was coaching at Munster in 2020, and she quickly had the whole family wrapped around her paw.

On a weekend night, if it’s not game time, the Larkhams might be found in the formal living area where there’s a slow combustion fireplace and a state-of-the-art television, with Skye resting in front of the flames.

They love watching movies together, a habit that goes back to Larkham’s early playing days when the pre-game routine the night before involved popcorn, lemonade and a film.

Against a backdrop of traditions and memories, Larkham reflects on the changes to their home through the family’s life stages.

“It’s a house that’s grown with us,” he says.

“During the renovations, we incorporated a secret passage between the girls’ bedrooms through a loft area, but these days they have it blocked off.

“What was the girls’ playroom has changed into a space where they can find some privacy. Other rooms now serve a different purpose to their original one.”

Just like the former pantry-come-office, where Larkham now weaves his off-field magic to lead the Brumbies onwards.