'One level of mediocrity to the next': Former Wallabies captain slams Aussie rugby

Former Wallabies captain Stephen Moore has slammed the current state of rugby union in Australia, saying he’s become “disillusioned with the game.”

Moore, who captained Australia in the 2015 Rugby World Cup final, will go down in history as one of the greatest players to ever don Wallaby gold.

The veteran hooker played 129 test matches for the Wallabies, and also enjoyed a decorated career at Super Rugby level with the Queensland Reds and Brumbies.

To put it simply, his list of achievements are practically unmatched in Australia – and in some ways, so is passion for the sport.

Moore has never been afraid to voice his concerns about Australian rugby, but the 39-year-olds most recent comments paint quite a concerning picture.

“Australian rugby has drifted from one level of mediocrity to the next over the last couple of decades,” Moore told Code Sports, as reported by The Daily Mail.

“It’s disappointing. I’m really disillusioned with the game, which is a shame, and a lot of my mates who I played rugby with are in the same boat.

“We seem to be taking a very short-term view on the success of the Wallabies and the game more generally,” he added later.

“We don’t have a long-term vision for the game, and it’s a big problem because we continue to regress over time… we’re floundering at every level.”

Australian rugby is at a crossroads the moment.

Incoming Wallabies coach Eddie Jones is at the helm, and he’ll either steer the sport back towards former glory or failure.

Jones is one of the greatest coaches ever to entered the fray of international rugby, especially at World Cups, and that’s exciting for Australian rugby.

But, at least according to Moore, Jones’ appointment still might not be anything more than a “panicked decision” from Rugby Australia.

“(Hiring Jones) is almost a panicked decision because Eddie got sacked by England and they had to move quickly.

“We haven’t grown our own coaches like we should’ve and now it’s biting us.

“Whenever the Wallabies job comes up, we’re scratching our heads about who could fill that role.”

The Wallabies are ushering in a new era under Jones, which promises so much.

Australian rugby has a golden generation of talent at their disposal, but whether they can make the most of this or not – well, only time will tell.

The men in gold have been drawn in Pool C for this year’s World Cup along with familiar foes Wales and Fiji.

The Wallabies, should they top that pool, could potentially face England, Argentina or Japan in the quarter-finals.