Combined he made more than 300 Super Rugby and international appearances, he captained his country on 26 occasions and played in three World Cups, leading the Wallabies to the 2015 final too, so Stephen Moore doesn’t really need an introduction.
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In short, he’s a legend of Australian rugby.
But as a hooker there’s one box he never ticked in his glittering career, which he may well get the chance to when he skippers the Classic Wallabies against the Central West Barbarians at Endeavour Oval on Saturday afternoon.
“I think I might be playing in the backs. I spent a lot of time out wide in my career, but never officially, so if that happens it’ll be a bit of fun,” Moore laughed.
“I spent enough time in scrums during my career, I don’t want to be in many this weekend. Actually, I probably won’t be looking to get too involved in the contact side of things either.
“After 15 or so years playing it’s been nice not being sore all the time since I retired.”
Jokes aside, although he is a genuine chance of lining up out wide, the 129-Test veteran is pumped up tighter than a beach ball to lead the Classic Wallabies side, particularly in the country.
“I actually haven’t been to Orange so it’ll be my first time out there, I was in Canberra for eight years (during his time with the ACT Brumbies) and drove through that area a lot but it’ll be nice to actually get out there,” he explained.
“Regional areas often get overlooked and I think if you looked back through the people that have played for the Wallabies a lot of them would have started in regional areas, so this is a great role for the Classics to play.
[The country] is really important to rugby ... it’s a really crucial part of our pathway.
- Classic Wallabies skipper Stephen Moore
“[The country] is really important to rugby, especially in terms of junior development, it’s a really crucial part of our pathway so it’s great to see these games heading out that way.”
Moore will lead a Classic Wallabies side that also includes Central West Rugby Union CEO Matt Tink and, in terms of other former internationals, the likes of Canowindra-born Orange City junior James Grant, Stephen Hoiles, Morgan Turinui, Radike Samo and Justin Harrison.
“It’ll be good fun I think and no doubt the game will be played in great spirits. Everyone stays competitive but the game’s part of the whole weekend so hopefully we get a really good turn-out and put on a bit of a show,” Moore, who made 176 Super Rugby appearances all up, said.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing all the kids out that way and having a run around with them too, that’s a big part of it.”
The Classic Wallabies’ tour kicks off on Thursday at Dubbo with a clinic at Macquarie Anglican Grammer School from 12-1pm, they’ll stop in at Wellington on the way to Orange afterward as well, with a clinic at Kinross planned for Friday.
The main game kicks off at 4pm following a number of junior clinics and curtain-raisers, including a blockbuster OilsPlus Cup North-South showdown.
- CLASSIC WALLABIES (more to be announced): Stephen Moore ©, Tom Carter, Mark Chisholm, Sam Cordingly, Mark Gerrard, James Grant, Justin Harrison, Stephen Hoiles, Tim Le Nevez, Pat McCutcheon, Dean Mumm, Pat Phibbs, Sam Payne, Beau Robinson, DeWet Roos, Radike Samo, Matt Tink, Morgan Turinui; Gary Pearce (head coach), James Holbeck (assistant coach), Chris Malone (assistant coach)
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Matt Findlay
Formerly a sports specialist, I'm based at Orange and shift between wide-spread range of subjects here and, often, across the entire Central West region of NSW as well. I have almost a decade of experience in the media and marketing industries both here in Australia and internationally, along with journalism I have experience in content strategy, brand development, and digital and social media. Along the way, I've been fortunate to win a handful of media awards and be nominated for several others too.
Formerly a sports specialist, I'm based at Orange and shift between wide-spread range of subjects here and, often, across the entire Central West region of NSW as well. I have almost a decade of experience in the media and marketing industries both here in Australia and internationally, along with journalism I have experience in content strategy, brand development, and digital and social media. Along the way, I've been fortunate to win a handful of media awards and be nominated for several others too.
