Stephen Moore (rugby player)

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Stephen Moore (born 20 January 1983 is an Australian rugby union footballer. Althoug he was born in Saudi Arabia to Irish parents, Stephen and his family moved back to Galway, Ireland in the mid-eighties before they emigrated to Mount Morgan, Queensland, Australia in 1988. His family later moved to Rockhampton, before finally settling in Brisbane. Stephen plays club rugby for the Queensland Reds, who play in the international Super 14 tournament. His usual position is at hooker.

Stephen came up through the coaching set-up in Queensland, playing schools rugby with Rockhampton Pioneers and Brisbane Grammar school. He made his Super 12 debut in 2003 for the Queensland Reds against the Bulls. He then went on to play for the under-21 Australian team at the 2003 and 2004 under-21 world championships, as well as with theAustralia Ateam. In 2005 he rejected offers to play in the Celtic League in Ireland, although he has many family connections in Ireland.

He was included in the 2005 Wallabies squad for the mid-year Tests. He came off the bench in matches against Samoa, Italy and France. He was then capped three times against South Africa. In November he joined the Wallabies in France when fellow hooker Adam Freier sustained an injury. He played in the loss against France on November 5.

After the whirlwind of 2005 where Stephen made his debut for the Wallabies and featured in every Queensland Reds Super 12 game, 2006 was a mixed bag which saw him finish the season on the reserves bench. However, his skills and strength as a ball runner brought an extra dimension to the Reds forwards and earned him selection on the Wallabies end of year tour to Europe.

In November 2006, Stephen travelled to Europe for the Autumn Internationals series. He was used as a replacement in the Australia v Italy game (25-18) on 11th November in the Stadio Flaminio, Rome. He then played for the Australia 'A' squad that defeated Ireland 'A' mid-week in Thomond Park, Limerick on the 16th November. On Sunday 20th of November he came on as a replacement in the 54th minute of the Irish rugby team vs Australia game, in which Ireland ran out easy winners 21-6, in appaling conditions at Lansdowne Road stadium, Dublin. He then made his first full International appearance for Australia the following weekend against Scotland in Edinburgh, touching down a pass from Matt Giteau to score his first International try. Australia were easy victors with a scoreline of Australia 44 - Scotland 15.

The QR Queensland Reds made a fine start to their 2007 Investec Super 14 campaign by posting a gritty 25-16 win over the Hurricanes at Suncorp Stadium on February 4th.

Stephen, who cites Irish hooker Keith Wood as his rugby role-model, completed a Science Degree at the University of Queensland in 2006 and has a view of studying post-graduate medicine.