Stephen Moore
Veteran hooker Stephen Moore will captain the Wallabies in the opening Test against France this coming weekend, coach Ewen McKenzie said Monday.
Moore, 31, is Australia’s most capped hooker with 91 Tests and is in his 10th season with the Wallabies.
“It is a huge personal achievement in being chosen to lead your country,” McKenzie said.
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“Stephen has been in and around the leadership setup at a provincial and national level for a long time and as a result has experienced and seen almost every possible sporting leadership scenario. He wont be fazed by the challenge of captaincy.”
“He understands what works well and why, and I think the added responsibility will suit him and the direction we are taking the team.”
Moore replaces Ben Mowen as skipper, after the flank opted to play in France after the 2014 Super Rugby season – instead of leading the Wallabies to the 2015 World Cup.
“When I consider what qualities are important for the captain of this team, I’m looking for someone who drives positive outcomes across all areas of High Performance,” McKenzie said.
“Captaincy is a 24/7 commitment and one where the person chosen must be heavily involved in the day-to-day business functions of the teams.”
“Stephen ticks all of those boxes, in addition to being a player who leads by example on the field.”
Moore said he was honoured to captain the Wallabies.
“It’s extremely humbling to be given the opportunity, especially when you consider the number of exceptional leaders we have in the current Australian squad,” Moore said.
“It’s a huge honour but for me the most important thing is not about getting an opportunity, it’s ultimately about what you do with it.”
“It’s an absolute privilege every time you wear the green and gold jersey and as captain I want to ensure this attitude is reflected through the actions of the entire squad in everything we do.”
“The most successful leaders I’ve played under have been those who let their actions do the talking. This a proven leadership approach.”
“As a team, our first job for 2014 is a tough three-game Test series against the French.”
“They’re always an unpredictable opponent, so we’ll focus all our energy on Saturday’s opening game.”
McKenzie said that flank Michael Hooper and utility back Adam Ashley-Cooper will be Australia’s vice-captains against France.
“They’ve all been recognised for the contributions they make to the Wallabies environment and I’m confident they possess the right leadership attributes to take this team to the next level,” McKenzie said.
“It’s a new group of leaders with a variety of personalities and experiences, where in combination they are empowered to help set a new direction towards the Rugby World Cup in 2015.”
Moore and Ashley-Cooper are Australia’s two most capped Test representatives in the current squad and enter the June Tests needing only a further nine caps to reach the exclusive 100-game mark.
Australia play France in 3 Tests – starting in Brisbane on Saturday (7 June), followed by internationals in Melbourne (14 June) and Sydney (21 June).
In additional Australian rugby news, Waratahs tighthead prop Paddy Ryan will be elevated into the Wallabies 32-man squad with Ben Alexander being given an opportunity to rehabilitate an ongoing nerve compression injury.
Paddy Ryan
The decision to remove Alexander from the squad has come by mutual agreement following discussions between the player, Brumbies, Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie and Australian Rugby Union medical staff.
McKenzie said all parties agreed it would be in the best interests for Alexander to use the Test window to get his body right for the remainder of the rugby schedule this year.
“The injury is one I understand quite well being a former tighthead prop and while not a sinister issue, it can significantly influence performance due to the impact it has on a player’s overall strength,” McKenzie said.
“In Ben’s instance, it has been admirable to see him push through the pain at a Super Rugby level.”
“However, when you consider the challenge we’ll face against an extremely physical and abrasive French scrum, we all agreed it would be better suited for Ben to use the upcoming period to rehab the injury and re-gain his strength.”
Ryan, who was already joining the squad in camp as one of four additional training squad members, will now be a member of the official 32-man squad.
Melbourne Rebels tighthead prop Laurie Weeks will now join the Wallabies as an additional training squad member for the opening stages of camp.