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Wayne Smith | March 26, 2008
WORLD CUP hooker Stephen Moore has been recalled to the Reds' starting side for Sunday's match with the unbeaten Sharks in Durban but not because Queensland is desperately fighting to retain his services.
All indications are that Moore will follow the now well-beaten path from Brisbane to Perth to join the Western Force at the end of this season.
Reds coach Phil Mooney unashamedly had hoped to take full advantage of Queensland's three-match tour of South Africa to talk the 25-year-old Test player around but he conceded yesterday he had not been able to get an answer out of Moore.
Mooney insisted the selection had been made purely on rugby grounds and specifically with the Sharks in mind.
"In all honesty, if it means he's got to be in the starting side to want to play for Queensland, then something's badly wrong," Mooney said. "We've selected him because he's the bigger hooker (112kg to Sean Hardman's 105kg) and the Sharks are a very big, aggressive side."
Mooney also recalled his battle-scarred warhorse David Croft at openside flanker for the job of taking down French five-eighth Frederic Michalak.
The Reds coach also showed patience by sticking with Quade Cooper at five-eighth.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...012430,00.html