Wallaby Moore eyes fourth World Cup in Japan

Wallabies skipper Stephen Moore says he has set his sights on a fourth World Cup after signing a new three-year deal with Australian rugby.

Moore's new contract with the Australian Rugby Union, penned Friday, commences in 2017, the same year he joins his former club, the Queensland Reds.

The 32-year-old stunned his current ACT Brumbies team on Thursday when he advised them the 2016 Super Rugby season will be his last in Canberra.

Moore, who was a major influence in the Wallabies getting to this year's World Cup final against New Zealand in London, said he preferred to stay in Australia so he could build on the recent Wallabies' successes and improve on his 102 Test caps.

"I really feel we are building something special at the Wallabies under 'Cheik' (Michael Cheika) and his coaching staff but there's a lot more we want to achieve and I really wanted to be a part of that," Moore said in a statement late Friday.

"I'll be 36 at the next World Cup (in Japan) and obviously form and a lot of other factors come into it.

"If I am playing well and healthy and I'm the right fit for the team when the time comes, I'd love the opportunity to play at another World Cup.

"It's extremely rare for a player to play in four World Cups and I'm under no illusions that it's not going to happen for me without a lot of those factors working in my favour."

Moore said he decided to return to Queensland to be closer to family and finish his career where it all began, rather than chase a more lucrative stint in Europe as a host of other players have.
Source: AFP