Injured Test hooker Stephen Moore says while Ewen McKenzie’s shock resignation as Wallabies head coach was unfortunate, it had little bearing on his decision to re-sign with Australian rugby through to 2016.
The Brumbies hooker’s contract extension is a timely morale boost for the embattled ARU and frustrated Australian rugby fans.
The Wallabies have struggled both on and off the field since the 92-Test veteran suffered a season-ending knee injury five minutes into his first game as Test skipper in June.
It came to a head one week ago when McKenzie stunned all with his resignation following a 29-28 loss to the All Blacks – capping off an extraordinary fallout from the Kurtley Beale-Di Patston texting scandal.
The June press conference where McKenzie and Moore sat side by side with the hope of ushering in a new era for Australian rugby now seems like a sick joke.
However Moore said McKenzie’s untimely exit factored little in his decision to turn down offers from French clubs.
“It was really unfortunate how it finished and I really felt for (McKenzie) personally,” the 31-year-old said.
Moore declined to comment on the saga itself, including the controversial way it was handled by incumbent skipper Michael Hooper – who leapt to Beale’s defence days before McKenzie’s exit.
“I’m not that keen to comment on that type of thing. He’s a teammate and a mate,” Moore said.
The factors that convinced Moore to extend his contract for another two seasons were his young family, a missed season of Test rugby, a third Rugby World Cup and the opportunity to skipper the Brumbies under head coach Stephen Larkham.
But whether Moore has a Wallabies leadership role under new Test coach Michael Cheika remains to be seen.
Hooper will have had a whole Test season in the top job, as well as captaining games for the Waratahs under Cheika in Dave Dennis’ absence.
Moore insists his priority is to just get back on the paddock – setting an “ambitious” goal of Super Rugby round one.
“When you have a serious injury, you have to learn how to play again and get everyone’s respect back again,” Moore said.
“Whatever happens at the Wallabies will happen later in the year.”
He said he only had a quick phone call with Cheika before the Wallabies departed for their spring tour in Europe on Friday.
He’s never been coached by the fiery Waratahs coach, but he likes what he’s heard.
“The boys say he’s very clear in what he wants,” Moore said.
“He’s very honest and the players certainly enjoy playing for him.
“When you put all that together, I think we’ll get a good result in Australian rugby.”
The no-nonsense Moore deserves nothing less.
With 92 Tests and 131 Super Rugby games already to his name, another two seasons in Australia could see his total number of caps rival the nation’s most experienced greats – George Gregan, George Smith and Nathan Sharpe.
STAYING ON FOR TWO MOORE YEARS
Stephen Moore
* Position: Hooker
* Height/weight: 186cm/112kg
* Super Rugby Caps: 131
* Super Rugby Debut: 2003 v Bulls, Pretoria (Reds)
* Test Caps: 92
* Test Debut: 2003 v Samoa, Sydney
