Rugby World Cup 2015: Wallabies captain Stephen Moore pays tribute to ‘remarkable’ Wycliff Palu

WALLABIES captain Stephen Moore has paid tribute to Wycliff Palu’s resilience after injury ended his World Cup and 11-year Australian rugby career.

Wycliff Palu at half-time before taking to the field to play for Manly. Action from Shute Shield rugby first grade semi-final between Manly and Sydney Uni, at Manly Oval. Picture: Troy Snook

WALLABIES captain Stephen Moore has paid tribute to Wycliff Palu’s resilience after injury ended his World Cup campaign and 11-year Australian rugby career.

Along with giant lock Will Skelton (pectoral), Palu was ruled out of the rest of the tournament after tearing a hamstring muscle against Uruguay in Birmingham. It was the opposite leg and hamstring to the injury Palu had been battling before the tournament.

Palu will fly home after Australia’s game with England at Twickenham and thus drawing a close to the 33-year-old’s 11-year, 57-Test career in Australian rugby.

Though injury-plagued, Palu was praised as having a “very, very remarkable” career by Michael Cheika, and Moore backed his coach’s words.

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“It’s very sad. Cliffy is a guy I have played a lot with, so it is a disappointing way for him to finish, to be ruled out in a World Cup after his first game,” Moore said.

“He has (fought back from injury) time and again for the Waratahs and for Australia. He played with injury, through injury, got himself back from injury to the top. That shows great resilience. He is a quiet guy, he doesn’t say much but he gets on with the job and does it well.

“It is a good time to look back at what he has contributed to Australian rugby, and that’s been very positive from where I stand. It’s been an honour to play alongside him.”

Skelton was also a major loss, said Moore. But the skipper said the team had to deal with the ever-present threat of injury and keep moving forward.

“You really feel for them,” Moore said.

“But you have to move on don’t you? That’s the nature of it. But I think it is important to acknowledge the guys that are leaving us, and what they have contributed and I guess it gives us a little bit of motivation now to keep doing it for those guys, who haven’t got the opportunity to play anymore.”

Originally published as Rugby World Cup 2015: Wallabies captain Stephen Moore pays tribute to ‘remarkable’ Wycliff Palu