Larkham agrees Wallaby deal

Larkham is a key part of the Wallabies' defence

Australia fly-half Stephen Larkham has signed a new three-year deal with the Wallabies - hours after threatening to quit the team over pay.

The 27-year-old fly-half had warned that he would miss the 2003 World Cup if the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) did not give him a rise in salary.

Soon after making that warning Larkham was putting pen to paper on a new deal.

"I'm a lot happier that now I'll be playing in Australia for the next three years," he told a news conference in Canberra.

"Obviously we made a (midday) deadline and we weren't going to back down. The ARU came to the party and really looked after us so we're very happy."

Decision

Larkham, who made his test debut in 1996, scored a drop goal to seal victory over South Africa in the World Cup semi-final of 1999 before Australia went on to beat France in the final.

Larkham had said that he wanted to make a decision on Friday to allow his Super 12 club, reigning champions the ACT Brumbies, to blood a new fly-half if necessary in 2002.

He was subjected to heavy punishment from opposition defences last year as the Brumbies dominated the Super 12 tournament and Australia retained the Bledisloe Cup and Tri-Nations trophy.

They also beat the Lions 2-1 in a three-test series in Australia last year.