The gesture that reflects what Wallabies captain Stephen Moore is about

By Rupert Guinness
Updated October 13 2015 - 8:08pm, first published 7:53pm
Top bloke: Wallabies captain Stephen Moore will play his 100th Test in the World Cup quarter-final against Scotland. Photo: Chris Hyde
Top bloke: Wallabies captain Stephen Moore will play his 100th Test in the World Cup quarter-final against Scotland. Photo: Chris Hyde

Wallabies captain Stephen Moore and teammate Matt Giteau will become Test centurions in Australia's World Cup quarter-final against Scotland on Monday morning (AEDT). A lot more will be said and written about both in the coming days. But with regards to Moore, 32, who played his first Test against Samoa in Sydney in June 2005, we learned of this story from the 2010 spring tour that truly reflects his character – and that of the Wallabies. After the captain's run for the Test against England at Twickenham on November 13, the team's former media unit producer for 14 years and 185 Tests, Anthony George, received a call with news that his father Neville had died. After the Test and midweek game against Munster, George returned for the funeral in Brisbane. He missed the Test against Italy on November 20, but was back for the Test against France at Stade de France in Paris on November 27. Before the match, George was on the field filming the Rocky Elsom-captained Wallabies as they warmed-up and returned to the locker room to switch into game kit. Unbeknown to him, the Wallabies leadership group, led by Nathan Sharpe and Moore, had decided, with the approval of coach Robbie Deans, to wear black arm bands in memory of George's father – something he only learned of after they ran out for the game when a bench player told him. George was understandably taken aback by the moving gesture; but even then was still unaware of what was to come after the Wallabies ran away 59-16 winners. Back in the locker room amid the fanfare of celebration, one by one the Australian players came up to George and hugged him ... the last of whom was Moore who in a quiet moment away from the mayhem gave him his Wallabies Test jersey.

The jersey Wallabies hooker Stephen Moore gave away. Photos: supplied

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