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Moore wants happy Bledisloe swansong

Sydney - Wallabies veteran Stephen Moore is hoping to end his international rugby career on a positive note by ending Australia's Bledisloe Cup drought.

Moore, who was won 120 caps for the Wallabies and is the second most-capped Australian player in history, announced on Thursday he would retire from international rugby at the end of 2017. 

The last time Australia lifted the Bledisloe Cup was in 2003, two years before Moore made his debut for the green and gold. 

The Wallabies open their Rugby Championship campaign with back-to-back Test matches against New Zealand beginning on August 19. 

And Moore, who will step down from the captaincy with immediate effect, is desperate to improve on his record of just five wins against New Zealand from 27 attempts.

"That's one of the ultimates in our sport and for our team. We know the size of the challenge and that's why we're here training hard," Moore told SBS. 

"We want to give ourselves the best chance to do well." 

After a torrid season for Australian rugby in general, Moore is desperate to change the perception that rugby in the country is in the doldrums. 

"We have the capacity to change the view of rugby, via the vehicle of the Wallabies," he said.

"We need to embrace that. I've always taken that very seriously in my role as a Wallaby that we have the capacity to inspire people and to make people happy and proud. 

"That's meant a lot to me in my career whenever we've been able to achieve that, it's one of the great things about playing for your country."

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