No Moore for regions
SAM Moore has opted to pledge his future to Sale Sharks, dashing hopes that he might switch to Wales to play his rugby.
The English club are set to announce the hugely promising Wales-qualified No. 8 has signed a fresh four-year deal to remain with them. All four Welsh regions were said to be interested in recruiting Moore with Warren Gatland reportedly keen for them to buy the youngster out of the remaining year of his Sale contract.
But after months of mulling over his options, the 19-year-old has decided to stick with the club whose academy he joined two years ago. He is thought to be comfortable in the Sale set-up and grateful for the help they gave him as he made his way in age-grade rugby.
He will stay at the AJ Bell Stadium at least until 2022.
On the international front, the 6ft 6in, 17st 4lb back rower has been the subject of a tug of war between Wales and England.
Born in Cardiff, he is the son of former Wales lock Steve Moore and nephew of ex-Wales captain Andy Moore, but he has been brought through the English system and the decision for him has long been whether to pledge his allegiance to the land of his birth or the country that developed him.
He is quick and powerful and Wales saw enough to reportedly ask him to feature in their squad for the 2018 Six Nations, with Taulupe Faletau initially sidelined by injury.
A former Everton FC academy player of the year, Moore didn’t want to commit at that point but did spend a short spell with the England senior group, along with Marcus Smith and Gabriel Ibitoye.
A reading of the Welsh Rugby Union’s Senior Player Selection policy suggests he may not have burned his bridges with Wales yet.
The policy rules out those with fewer than 60 caps who opt to play outside Wales, but it also stresses: “An exception to the rule is call-ups for uncapped players currently contracted outside of Wales – to keep their eligibility a newly capped player will be required to return to Wales at the expiration of the contract in place at the point of call-up.”
Moore is uncapped, so it is assumed he is still eligible to Gatland. This latest call would seem to indicate the youngster’s direction of travel, though a source stressed: “Sam hasn’t made a decision on the international front. This is just to do with where he wants to play his club rugby.”