Former Captain Moore Backs Bell To Be Wallabies Skipper

Former Australia skipper Stephen Moore would prime prop Angus Bell to skipper nan Wallabies against nan British and Irish Lions.

Australia caput coach Joe Schmidt is yet to sanction his bid captain, pinch nan first Test kicking disconnected connected Saturday successful Brisbane (11:00 BST).

Number 8 Harry Wilson, who scored a precocious effort to defeat Fiji successful nan Wallabies' only warm-up game, is nan favourite to skipper nan broadside aft performing nan domiciled successful that triumph and against England, Scotland and Ireland successful November.

"We request our players that are world class, Angus Bell is simply a bully example. I would person had him arsenic skipper if it was up to me," Moore told BBC's Rugby Union Weekly.

"Captaincy is an area they person ummed and ahhed astir complete nan past mates of years.

"I don't cognize if it will beryllium Harry Wilson, I deliberation so, arsenic he was skipper against Fiji and they haven't named nan captain."

Squad members James Slipper, Will Skelton and David Porecki, who only this twelvemonth has sewage complete his wounded troubles that kept him retired since nan 2023 Rugby World Cup, person each captained Australia successful nan past 2 years.

Schmidt said Wilson is "one of nan players astatine nan forefront" of his reasoning erstwhile it comes to a Test captain, but added he wanted to guarantee his skipper was afloat fit.

Flanker Rob Valetini missed nan crippled against Fiji done wounded and Moore believes his action successful nan backmost statement mightiness beryllium a problem for Wilson.

"Joe would person preferred to do that correct [naming nan captain], but that it is not his communicative to support chopping and changing. He is uncovering retired nan champion measurement to win," added Moore, who played successful each 3 Tests against nan Lions successful 2013.

"Is Harry successful that team? If Rob Valetini plays past are they successful that squad together? Do they request a jumping backmost rower?

"There are bunch of options that they person sewage and they are conscionable not clear connected nan correct 1 is. That is why we are seeing that hesitation."

Following nan triumph complete Fiji, nan Wallabies' first-choice fly-half Noah Lolesio was ruled retired of nan series done injury.

That wounded intends 22-year-old Tom Lynagh, boy of 1991 World Cup-winning number 10 Michael, is reportedly set, external to commencement his first Test connected Saturday.

Veteran backmost James O'Connor, 35, and 17-cap Ben Donaldson are Schmidt's different options successful nan position.

O'Connor started each 3 Tests against nan Lions successful 2013 but has not played world rugby successful almost 3 years.

Moore believes number 10 remains a "gap" successful nan nationalist team.

"Since Stephen Larkham retired successful 2007, we haven't had an out-and-out world-class 10 for a play of clip for illustration nan different awesome nations person had," nan erstwhile hooker added.

"It is simply a large position and we are going into a bid pinch immoderate younger players being tried and tested connected a very large stage.

"Joe will make judge that their occupation is kept arsenic elemental arsenic imaginable truthful they cognize precisely what they request to do nether unit and they tin spell retired and execute it."