Stephen Moore to be unveiled as Wallabies captain by coach Ewen McKenzie

TWELVE-SEASON warrior Stephen Moore will be unveiled as the new Wallabies captain and the first hooker to lead his country in nearly 20 years.

Hooker Stephen Moore during warm up for Wallabies Training at St Joseph's College Hunters Hill

TWELVE-SEASON warrior Stephen Moore will on Monday be unveiled as the new Wallabies captain and the first hooker to lead his country in nearly 20 years.

Sources have confirmed that coach Ewen McKenzie's choice received a unanimous tick from the Australian Rugby Union board last week.

It is a major vote of confidence in Moore, given former Wallabies captains John Eales and Paul McLean both sit on the board.

The 91-Test rock has won McKenzie's nod as the keeper of standards to guide the Wallabies towards the Rugby World Cup in England in 15 months.

Moore, 31, has been preferred to former Test skippers James Horwill and Will Genia plus Michael Hooper, whose fearless follow-me style, at just 22, stamps him as a national captain of the future.

Stephen Moore is set to be named Wallabies captain.

It is a huge honour for Moore, who has never been a first-choice captain at Super Rugby level after being overlooked at the Queensland Reds and the ACT Brumbies.

That Moore is featuring prominently in new ads released by jersey sponsor Asics and series sponsor Castrol Edge, where Horwill does not feature, is another subtle giveaway.

Not since Phil Kearns skippered the Wallabies between 1992-95 have the Wallabies been led by a hooker.

Whatever disappointment Horwill might feel at his 16-Test tenure as Wallaby skipper not being reactivated will be immediately replaced by genuine delight for Moore, a close rugby mate and University clubmate in Brisbane.

McKenzie's call is of major significance now he has settled on a successor to Ben Mowen, who forfeited any claims to continue in his five-from-six captaincy role of last year by signing to play in France.

Moore is the most certain of Test starters among the captaincy candidates although that is splitting hairs.

Halfback Genia showed why he is a must-pick against France in the first Test at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night with his irresistible display when the Reds grabbed their first victory in two months over the Highlanders last Friday night.

Moore has played 91 Tests for the Wallabies.

Lock Horwill will also start because you don't gamble on untried, novice locks from the kick-off against France when 48 Tests of bankable grunt in scrums, lineouts and team nous is stored in his fit frame.

In the highly respected Moore, the Wallabies will get an intelligent leader, one who cherishes the history and values of the Wallabies and a no-nonsense figure hungry for grander team success.

Like McKenzie, he is that rare front-rower with a university degree as well as honours in the school of hard knocks when forward battles are at their most intense.

The French had their third session at Brisbane's Church of England Grammar School on Saturday with the bizarre scenario of not yet training with either of the two flyhalves selected for the tour.

Remi Tales (Castres) and stalwart Frederic Michalak (Toulon) will not fly in until Tuesday from Sunday morning's (Australian time) French Top 14 final in Paris.

French coach Philippe Saint-Andre revealed that Michalak's omission from the Toulon line-up increased his chances of being the fresh No. 10 choice for Saturday's Test.

“We will need to make a choice when they arrive on how they feel. Maybe, it is the flyhalf who does not play too much,” Saint-Andre said.

The visiting coach added that winning in Australia for the first time since his own debut series in the backline in 1990 was a major goal but had been made harder my McKenzie's makeover of the Wallabies.

“The Wallabies had a very good tour in Europe last year with lots of continuity, skills and a very positive game,” Saint-Andre said.

Originally published as Stephen Moore to be unveiled as Wallabies captain by coach Ewen McKenzie