The Brumbies have announced that our beloved fullback of the booming boot and the bullocking run, Mark Gerrard, is heading off the Japan to play for NTT Communications in the Japanese second division (obviously NTT has plans to move up in the world).
- Gerrard has played 79 Super Rugby caps and is third on the CA Brumbies’ list of all-time point scorers with 306 points, behind Stirling Mortlock (963 points) and Joe Roff (590 points). He made his CA Brumbies debut against the Sharks in 2003 (having made his Super 12 debut for the Waratahs the previous year) and was a member of the 2004 Super 12-winning side, including a three-try haul against the Crusaders in the final.
“My family and I have loved our time at the Brumbies and in Canberra and we’ll always consider ourselves members of the Brumbies family,” Gerrard said.
“[My wife] Larisa and I have always wanted to experience a different culture and our children are at a good age for us to do that now.
“This is my ninth season of Super Rugby and with the kids now five and three, we believe this is the right time to try our hand at living overseas.
“But I’m still only 26 and after we’d had a chance to live away for a year or two, I definitely wouldn’t rule out the possibility of returning to play in Australia and pulling on the Brumbies strip again.”
He’ll be missed, but if he comes back after a couple of years he’ll still have plenty of good rugby ahead of him.
UPDATED: Meanwhile the Australian reports that everyone was keen for Steve Larkham to make a comeback to get us to the end of the season, but sadly his Japanese club Ricoh has advised they need a season ending four weeks to complete the paperwork.
Sounds like someone at Ricoh is dragging the chain.
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