O’Connor’s licence to roam against Boks
Bold as brass, Wallabies wonderboy James O’Connor has no fears of marking world rugby’s best winger Bryan Habana with just 40 minutes of experience in the position.
Instead O’Connor, just turned 20, has vowed to create headaches for the Springboks by embracing a roving commission in attack in Australia’s Tri-Nations opener on Saturday night.
The elusive utility back is licking his lips at having a licence to roam and run off playmakers Quade Cooper and Matt Giteau at Suncorp Stadium.
“Once I get out on the field and into the phase attack you’ll see me all over,” O’Connor said on Wednesday.
“The way the game’s going now there’s a high (attacking) work rate for wingers whereas at 15 it’s more defensively a high work rate, so that could benefit my game.”
Former Wallabies winger Damian Smith strongly agrees and hailed his surprise switch to wing for the bigger Adam Ashley-Cooper to play fullback as a fantastic move by coach Robbie Deans.
Smith, who played 22 Tests in the 1990s, felt the exciting O’Connor should find a permanent home on the wing as he had a skill set to make him a David Campese-style game breaker.
“He’s a great attacking player and he reads the game so well and it just gives him the freedom to get into first receiver and run the ball and create,” Smith told AAP.
“I think he could end up playing there for quite a while.”
Until now the only time O’Connor — who has interchanged between fullback, inside centre and five-eighth for the Western Force — has played on the wing was in the second half of last-start 22-15 win over Ireland due to an injury-forced backline reshuffle.
While he will pop up all over Suncorp Stadium in attack, he has the huge assignment of containing speedster Habana in defence on the right flank.
It’s a baptism of fire he’s looking forward to, and is determined to continue a good record tackling the 2007 IRB player of the year.
“I’ve had a few one-on-ones with Habana in the past so it’s been a good experience so far,” O’Connor said.
“So far, so good.”
With Habana enduring a poor night in the 31-17 loss to New Zealand last weekend, there’s an expectation he’ll fire as the Springboks need to win to stay alive in their title defence.
But Wallabies selector and assistant coach Jim Williams has little doubt O’Connor can cope with the switch.
“Defensively I think he’s a great little defender and that’s not going to trouble him,” he said.
On the left wing, Drew Mitchell will start just two weeks after being dumped from the 30-man squad.
Williams said Mitchell had responded well to a blunt message.
“Just his attitude he takes into training and into a game is what we wanted to see an improvement in and he’s done that so far,” he said.
After watching New Zealand’s back three run and stun the Springboks in their opening two wins, O’Connor, Mitchell and Ashley-Cooper will play vital roles in doing the same off kick returns.
“We’ve been practising a lot of our counter-attacking this week,” O’Connor said.
“I think it’s going to be pretty quick and enjoyable.”
© AAP 2013- Explore:
- Bryan Habana, James OConnor, Matt Giteau, Rugby Union, wallabies
July 22nd 2010 @ 1:34pm
Brett McKay said | July 22nd 2010 @ 1:34pm | Report comment
This is somewhat unrelated to this particular piece, but O’Connor could certainly have used this news two years ago.
I found this little tid bit at the bottom of a Wayne Smith article in The Australian today:
And O’Neill yesterday foreshadowed the creation next year of an under-20 competition involving the Academy sides of the five Australian Super rugby franchises.
“I’m an eternal optimist,” O’Neill said. “I keep thinking we’re about to crack it.”
Peronsally, I would prefer it as U22 or U23, but U20 is at least in line with the IRB junior comps. That aside, this is BRILLIANT and long overdue news, and the ARU should progress this plan as a matter of priority…
July 22nd 2010 @ 1:42pm
Working Class Rugger said | July 22nd 2010 @ 1:42pm | Report comment
Brett
Finally!!!. Would be good if they could work out a way to include some Western Sydney involvement.
July 22nd 2010 @ 2:49pm
Suzy Poison said | July 22nd 2010 @ 2:49pm | Report comment
It’s fair to say that after winning all their games, last year the Boks came to Brisbane as overwhelming favourites.
This year after losing their first two games, they go in as underdogs. With Pienaar in the team, I expect the Boks to run the ball, and rarely kick. I think the Boks are wounded, they know they can play better than the results show. Everyone has already written them off. It’s hard to know how these two teams compare against each other. The only comparison, is the English team beat the Wallabies and then the next week lost to the Maoris. I suspect an All Black team would probably knock off the Maoris, so make of that what you will. It will be a tight tussle. I am picking the Wallabies because of home ground advantage, by 1-3points.
July 22nd 2010 @ 3:20pm
Winston said | July 22nd 2010 @ 3:20pm | Report comment
Go Britney!!!
July 22nd 2010 @ 8:36pm
Craig Mathie said | July 22nd 2010 @ 8:36pm | Report comment
This is what you get when you play kids at this level. Far too young,far too small and far too inxperienced. The Wallabys pathetic depth is the reason for his elevation. They were that desperate to blood him to stop any chance of him playing for the All Blacks or Springboks. You almost hope to see his mouth come round the corner and bite him on Saturday to teach him a little humility. I only hope a bright spark isn’t crushed by too big a shelacking
July 22nd 2010 @ 11:04pm
Arm Chair Experts said | July 22nd 2010 @ 11:04pm | Report comment
The ARu think he is worth a base price of $600k. Not woth it, lost us games and doesn’t think. Again another inconsistent player talking with inexperience but he is entitled to as he still gets the money – our next superstar (not). We are the mugs to watch this upstart. Over rated and over hyped. I wish players would just shut up and play. They should be banned from talking JOC the first. The Wallabies are a turn off at the moment and #69 is not value for money for this mob.
July 22nd 2010 @ 11:58pm
Ben J said | July 22nd 2010 @ 11:58pm | Report comment
The Boks are always better after being written off but I suspect the Wallabies will do everything at pace to avoid the hard yards ( Dean Mumm he’s our boy! ). If the Boks manage to win this one they are right back in the competition. Then it is back to the Republic for some R & R and introspection. The Soccer City test in Soweto sold 44 000 tickets in 48 hours so it’s going to be a cracker.
July 23rd 2010 @ 8:38am
Winston said | July 23rd 2010 @ 8:38am | Report comment
Unless the Wallabies improve massively they will go down to the Boks. The ABs forwards really stood up and I haven’t seen that happen in the Wallabies since for a long time. From this years outings so far they look worse than last year.
This seems to happen every year now. The Wallabies, journos and their fans talking it up but never converting that talk to action on the field.
Britney could well be some big Boks forward’s b*#ch on Saturday
I’m always glad to be proven wrong, but unless this guy can mix it well with the Boks and Abs he will always be Britney to me.
On the other hand I think PDV is now starting to have a real detrimental effect on this mighty Boks team. He’s making them a laughing stock. And that can’t be good for team moral. He needs to go