Stephen Moore

Moore ends career with start

Coach Michael Cheika on Thursday (Friday NZT) selected Moore, who will retire from the sport after the match, ahead of Tatafu Polota-Nau in one of two changes from the side that lost 30-6 to England at Twickenham last weekend.

The 34-year-old Moore had planned on playing one more Super Rugby season with the Queensland Reds but earlier this week decided the Wallabies' clash with Scotland would be the last game of a 15-year career.

No more Stephen Moore

Rugby Australia said in a statement on Wednesday that Moore originally planned to play one last season with the Queensland Reds in Super Rugby, but will retire after the match at Murrayfield.

"I'd started planning for life after rugby since announcing my retirement from the international game back in July, and the opportunity that I was exploring materialised probably six months earlier than I had expected," Moore said.

'Selfless' Moore earns home Test farewell

Moore will say goodbye to Australian fans in a hometown Bledisloe at Suncorp Stadium, a ground that has been a familiar one for the Queenslander.

He recalled on Thursday travelling to the old Lang Park with his father from Rockhampton, snatching up cheap World Cup tickets with uni mates to watch the 2003 World Cup at the then-brand new Suncorp Stadium and ultimately facing off against the All Blacks and British and Irish Lions on the Brisbane turf.

Moore gets last dig at the ABs

It comes as Rob Simmons was recalled to the Wallabies XV in place of injured second-rower Izack Rodda, while Karmichael Hunt will miss out on a chance to tackle the All Blacks for the first time. 

After plenty of speculation as to whether Moore, a veteran of 124 tests, would get an opportunity to farewell Australian fans in the final Bledisloe Cup match of the year, Cheika has shown faith in the 34-year-old. 

Moore to retire from Test rugby at end of 2017

Moore has opted to give up the captaincy immediately and will step down from Test rugby after this year's Spring Tour and will play just one more season of Super Rugby, with Queensland, despite having two years to run on his deal.

Moore, 34, is the second-most capped Wallabies player of all time and captained the team to a World Cup final in 2015.

Currently in the first of that three-year deal with the Reds and the ARU, the Wallabies skipper had set the target of playing in the 2019 tournament, likely becoming the most-capped Wallaby along the way.

Moore rested for Samoa trip

Moore is being rested by Queensland after a heavy load this season, coach Nick Stiles said, as the side prepares for the first Super Rugby clash to be played in Samoa.

It's not the first time the captain has been rested this season, left out of the side to face the Kings at Suncorp Stadium in round eight.

Wallabies coach Michael Cheika confirmed Moore would be his Wallabies captain in June, meaning the 33-year-old's workload is far from easing off as the year goes on.

Stiles said Moore's absence was a planned one, a stance he has maintained this season.

Stephen Moore heading back to Queensland

The 32-year-old hooker came through the junior ranks at the Reds before moving to the Brumbies in 2009 and has played 102 times for the Canberra-based side, matching exactly his tally of test caps.

A statement released by the Brumbies said the 2016 season would be Moore's last with the team "following his decision to re-join the Queensland Reds".