Wynne Gray: Lethal Larkham gives Brumbies crucial edge

Looking at the bandaged Stephen Larkham it would have been easy to make analogies about trotting meetings at Alexandra Park or Egyptian embalming practices.

The 30-year-old has also been nicknamed Bernie in an unkind comparison of his nature with the corpse who has a lead role in the movie Weekend at Bernie's.

But Larkham was the lethal difference for the defending Super 12 champions, the Brumbies, in a rematch of last year's final with the Crusaders.

The titleholders lost the mercurial Matt Giteau to injury before the game while captain Stirling Mortlock and Clyde Rathbone departed with the players scarcely warm.

And Larkham looked as though he was not far from the casualty ward after he began the match in his usual headgear and with both arms heavily strapped.

He has struggled with hyperextension damage to his elbows and on the Wallaby tour last year broke his arm against Scotland.

One trial game and he was back into his final Super 12 campaign and into razor-sharp form.

Larkham made no concessions to his recent panelbeating with his tenacious tackling while his gliding runs and tactical kicking put the Crusaders under more heat than they could endure.

Without George Gregan for round two after the halfback travelled to the tsunami charity match, the Brumbies will have to rely even more on Larkham's vast talents.

For someone who started his Super 12 career as a fullback, the rangy player has made a remarkable international career at first five-eighths.

The All Black selectors are looking for a similar return from Daniel Carter after shifting him from the midfield to first receiver on the end-of-year tour.

Carter was sharp at fullback against the Brumbies as coach Robbie Deans made the best use of his available squad.

But the exit of Mehrtens, on charity rugby duty this weekend at Twickenham, means Carter will slip into the No 10 jersey for the second-round match against the Chiefs and the comparisons with Mehrtens, Carlos Spencer and Nick Evans will reopen, as their chances of selection against the Lions are debated.

Missing from those discussions will be young Hurricanes five-eighths Jimmy Gopperth.

The 21-year-old was the beneficiary of the selection standoff last year when Carter and Mehrtens refused to shift to the Hurricanes. With David Holwell moving overseas, the Hurricanes picked Riki Flutey and Gopperth as their five-eighths.

And Gopperth's fortunes continued when he started against the Reds only to be subbed early in the second half with the versatile Piri Weepu switching to five-eighths.

While the Hurricanes got away with a win against the Reds in round one, they will not overcome stronger sides without a reliable five-eighths.

Gopperth may develop that quality but the gulf between his start and Larkham's impact was difficult to ignore.