Brumbies ‘disappointed’ as Moore jumps ship to Reds

ARU seal massive rise in TV payout

SYDNEY, Dec 17, (Agencies): Wallabies captain Stephen Moore will leave the ACT Brumbies after the 2016 Super Rugby season to rejoin the Queensland Reds, it was announced Thursday, with his Canberra club “exceedingly disappointed”.

The Brumbies said it “moved heaven and earth” to meet 32-year-old Moore’s “unique demands” but it was not enough to prevent the hooker leaving for a rival team.

Brumbies chief executive Michael Jones said Moore had indicated he was keen see out his career in Canberra, for whom he has played 102 matches since 2009 after leaving the Reds, and he was very surprised at the decision.

“We are exceedingly disappointed about today’s announcement that Stephen Moore will leave the Brumbies at the end of 2016,” he said on the club website.

“(Coach) Stephen Larkham and I worked extremely hard to create a deal that was acceptable to Moore and his agent.

“We were given a deadline and moved heaven and earth to satisfy that deadline including late night calls to South Africa where Moore was holidaying.”

Jones said the Brumbies made a “very generous” long-term offer late last week, including meeting “a number of unique demands”, to which Moore’s agent agreed.

Meanwhile, the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) has signed off on a massive increase in its share of broadcasting rights for the Super Rugby competition and international matches after announcing a five-year agreement worth A$285 million ($206.23 million).

The figure was a 148 percent increase on revenue achieved from previous media rights arrangements, the ARU said in a statement on Thursday.

The agreement, which runs from 201620, is the ARU’s share of a wider broadcasting rights package still being finalised by the governing body SANZAR, which will expand to include Argentina next year.

The agreement with subscription broadcaster Fox Sports includes a deal with Channel 10 for Wallabies test matches while the free-to-air broadcaster will also get delayed replay rights for selected Super Rugby games.

Firebrand hooker Dylan Hartley is set to replace Chris Robshaw as England captain under new coach Eddie Jones, British media reported on Thursday.

Loose forward Robshaw led his country 42 times under former coach Stuart Lancaster, culminating in this year’s World Cup when England failed to get past the group stage on home soil.

Argentina officially unveiled the country’s new Super Rugby franchise, Los Jaguares, and named former Pumas captain Felipe Contepomi staff on Wednesday.

All of the 30-man squad, which was also revealed on Wednesday, have testlevel experience and the majority were members of the Argentina team that reached the Rugby World Cup semifinals in England in October.

Los Jaguares, who have been invited into next year’s expanded 18-team championship in which a Japanese franchise will also make its debut, will be coached by Raul Perez, right-hand man to Argentina head coach Daniel Hourcade.

“We are continuing on a growth path which takes us to our participation in the world’s best club competition, where we will face the best teams and best players on the planet,” the Argentine Rugby Union’s (UAR) new professional rugby manager Greg Peters told a news conference.

on the coaching

The Super Rugby champion Otago Highlanders issued a terse “no comment” on Thursday in response to media reports linking coach Jamie Joseph with the vacant position in charge of the Japan national team.

Japan are in the market for a new head coach after Eddie Jones, who guided them to an unprecedented three wins at the recent Rugby World Cup, left to join South Africa’s Stormers.