Wallaby Moore targeted by Force

[blutackey]

BRAY EXCLUSIVE: Wallaby Moore targeted by Force


Following the retirement of Brendan Cannon, Qld Reds’ hooker Stephen Moore confirmed his management has just received an offer from the Western Force.

However, although offers are currently in place from the Force and the Waratahs, Moore said he won’t be considering anything until the end of the Reds’ Super 14 campaign.
“It has all happened in the last twenty four hours but to be very honest I don’t want to do anything that could jeopardise the Reds’ campaign for our last three games,” he told me.

“We leave for South Africa on Sunday after the Cheetahs’ match and I won’t be sitting down to work through any offers until I return on Monday fortnight.

The Reds have two tough games against the Stormers in Cape Town and the Bulls in Pretoria and Moore said he doesn’t want to say or do anything that might distract the Reds’ from their sheer desperation to avoid the Super 14 wooden spoon.
“We have a team focus. We’ve been through a horrendous stretch but feel if we can learn from it then there will be benefits around the corner.

“Eddie (Jones) has pointed out that we have led in five of our games at the 70 minute mark. We’ve just lost the knack of putting teams away. Losing becomes a habit and we are not enjoying it but also feel we are not far away from turning things around.”

The 24 y.o. University of Queensland hooker has played ten test matches and started Australia’s most recent international against Scotland at Murrayfield in November.

Tipping the scales at a hefty 112 kgs, Moore would be an ideal replacement for Cannon at the Force. He has a good turn of pace and produced his best match in a Wallaby jumper against the bonny Scots highlighted by some bullocking charges.

Ewen McKenzie’s interest is mildly surprising given the Tahs have Tatafu Polota-Nau and skipper Adam Frier in their squad, The Waratahs’ offer suggests that the NSW coach wants further impact from his hookers.

Depending on Jeremy Paul’s career focus after the Rugby World Cup, the Brumbies should also not be discounted as a likely suitor for the in-demand Reds’ rake.

And of course, Eddie Jones won’t be letting go of his star hooker without a ferocious tug-o-war.

Commenting on the new scrum sequence of ‘crouch-touch-pause-engage’ this season, Moore is adamant there have been a lot more scrum collapses and the experiment needs a full review.

Like All Blacks’ scrum coach Mike Cron, he feels the real issue is good coaching and as a consequence, better technique.

“We are in the set-up position too long and front-rows need to focus on going in and up to avoid collapses,” he said.

“We have found that every referee has a different take on the new sequence. Some call it quickly, others drag it out. It’s been inconsistent which makes it very hard to get into a pattern.”

Moore and his Reds’ teammates will face the Cheetahs from South Africa this Saturday at Suncorp Stadium. Kick-off is at 3.30pm.

http://www.rugbyexclusive.com/news_detail/id/249

[Sagerian]

yes, please throw money at him.. please, we don't want him.

[Moses]

hahahahHHAHHAHHAHAH HEHheheheheh HEHHE HEH :rofl

some mod please move this to the Jokes section!

surely he's taking the piss here

to be very honest I don’t want to do anything that could jeopardise the Reds’ campaign

[Burgs]

Personally I think Moore is developing pretty well but I hope he stays there in Queensland, he is the sort of player that needs to be there to rebuild with.
I'd like them to have another look at Huia Edmonds who is over in the Republic playing after being overlooked in Australia.

[prop53]

moore the better lol

[Flamethrower]

Only reason the Tahs would want him is to stop the Force getting him.

[Sagerian]

Pfft, like you guys missed that 110K from the last time, although just because guys like Chisholm have re-signed, that's no reason to stop chasing them.