The 21-year-old held down the play-making position during the hour-long session in foggy conditions at Latymer Upper School in Hammersmith.

It was the national side’s first hit-out since arriving on Sunday morning, the players going through their paces at the school that has educated the likes of actors Hugh Grant and Alan Rickman and chef Heston Blumenthal.

Backrowers Matt Hodgson and Scott Higginbotham missed the session with illness but were both expected to be available for selection this weekend.

Wallabies coach Robbie Deans is weighing up whether to select Berrick Barnes or O’Connor for the No.10 jersey because of Quade Cooper’s absence with a serious knee injury.

Barnes was named man of the match for his performance, largely at No.10, in Australia’s 21-18 victory in the third-place playoff against Wales at the World Cup last month.

O’Connor, 21, has been keen to move in off the wing and play a more central role in the Wallabies backline and a match against the Barbarians has less riding on it than most internationals.

“He can ball play, he has shown that in Super Rugby (for the Western Force),” Australian halfback Will Genia said.

“He really wants the opportunity and hopefully Robbie gives it to him.

“We will how see how he goes.”

The Wallabies have an enviable record against the Barbarians, having won eight of their 11 meetings.

The invitational side has chalked up major southern hemisphere scalps in the past two years, defeating the All Blacks in 2009 and South Africa in 2010.

Roaring Hot

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Article link: O’Connor trains at five-eighth for Wallabies. Written by Zolton, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

While it’s highly unlikely that Graham Henry will take the initiative at any point in the near future and step aside, it’s increasingly clear that a swathe needs to be cut through New Zealand rugby in order to restore the mana – and mongrel – in this once great rugby nation.

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This footage is of the last minute of the 1991 Rugby World Cup Quarter-Final match at Lansdowne Road between Ireland and Australia. It’s interesting to hear how understated the commentary was back then. A far cry from the histrionics of today’s crop. Let us know your recollections of this gripping finale.

Article link: Classic RWC match – Wallabies vs Ireland 1991. Written by Zolton, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

This video shows 9-year-old Brisbane soccer whiz Rhain Davis in action. The prodigious talent has just signed a contract with English giants Manchester United.

Article link: Aussie superkid signs with Manchester United. Written by Zolton, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

Article link: Barrett in the picture. Written by Zolton, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

Article link: Swannies on a roll. Written by Zolton, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

Article link: Another upset in the NRL. Written by Zolton, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

This video contains the last few minutes of the epic World Cup final between England and the Wallabies in 2003.

Article link: Classic RWC match 2. Written by Zolton, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

Article link: Tendulkar third highest scorer. Written by Zolton, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

Article link: Lay off Sonny Bill?. Written by Zolton, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

With the RWC just around the corner, we thought it would be fun to look back during the next few weeks at some of the classic matches seen at the World Cup over the years. This video contains highlights from the France versus New Zealand semi-final encounter played at Twickenham, England in 1999. We’d love to hear your recollections of this match.

Article link: Classic RWC match. Written by Zolton, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

The question needs to be asked: does this reworked New Zealand national anthem as shown in this video – which invokes the greats of Kiwi politics, culture and rugby – give the All Blacks the edge at the 2007 World Cup?

Article link: God Defend the All Blacks. Written by Zolton, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

Article link: Where is Weepu?. Written by Zolton, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

Article link: Player burnout. Written by Zolton, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

As the NRL season trundles onwards, the race for the top eight is looking more convoluted than ever. Statistically at least, everyone can still make it. Realistically, though, several can be cut out of the equation already, including the Roosters, the Dragons, the Titans and the Knights.

I think the Rabbitohs also are one season away from being genuine finals contenders. As for the Panthers, they are clearly a troubled club, which is surprising given that Matt Elliot – very much a team player in his day – has generally prided himself on creating a sense of kinship amongst the teams he has coached. Read More...

Article link: There’s many ways to Roar. Written by Zolton, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

We said it a little while back on The Roar, but it bears repeating now as we get closer to the business end of the rugby league season. Is there anyone out there who can seriously challenge the Melbourne Storm this year? More pertinently, given the lack of attention they receive in their hometown and the lack of a genuine homegrown junior base, is their continuing success in the NRL one of the most unlikely stories in modern sports? Let us know what you think.

Article link: An unlikely victor?. Written by Zolton, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

Surely Nick Politis and the board at the Roosters knew what they were getting themselves into when they appointed Chris Anderson as the head coach of the Sydney Roosters. In the wake of the Ricky Stuart/Gus Gould dramas, the club really needed stability and an overriding sense of ‘joie de vie’ instilled as part of the team culture. Instead, Politis appointed Anderson, a coach with a history of internal conflicts and an uncanny ability to divide and conquer. He had his successes a while back. But that was firmly in the past. His appointment seemed like a strange move at the time, and now, given the team’s appalling performances on the field this year, it looks even more incomprehensible — especially given the quality of coaches (Daniel Anderson and John Lang among them) who were available and interested. Given his track record of early departures, it would be a surprise to see him last out the season.

Article link: A wolf in Rooster’s clothing. Written by Zolton, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

Check out the athleticism on display here. It’s as if some of them are seriously defying gravity. Imagine if union or league had access to the cream of the AFL players. That would be one hell of a deep talent base to be drawing upon. How good a union or league player would have Gary Ablett have been. Or Tony Lockett. Or Matthew Lloyd. Anyone else — past or present — spring to mind as a being an absolute natural across all codes?

Article link: Up there Cazaly!. Written by Zolton, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

The Roar reader Sheek pointed us in the direction of this — the Aussie response to the New Zealand haka. Somehow it doesn’t quite have the same … ummm … ring to it.

Article link: The Aussie Haka. Written by Zolton, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

This is what some hapless teams have got to look forward to during the upcoming Rugby World Cup. No Tama leading the way of course, but an equally intimidating collection of All Blacks readying for a spoil. I’d do my running now. It may be a whole lot safer. This is the Kapa O Pango New Haka. Is there a more fearsome and awesome sight in world sport?

Article link: The war dance to end all war dances. Written by Zolton, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

I know we’ve debated this contentious subject for a while now, but it’s worth throwing this solo effort from South African flyer Bryan Habana into the mix as one of the more exciting tries scored in recent memory. How’s that acceleration? Stunning. Thanks to Maddo for the link.

Article link: Bryan Habana scores a beauty. Written by Zolton, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

Like it or loathe it, the intensity of State Of Origin football is unmatched in Australian sport. AFL grand finals are tough and Bledisloe matches are (occasionally!) rugged, but there’s just something about the tradition and the pride associated with wearing the Blue or Maroon jumper that works everyone — players, coaches and fans — into an emotional frenzy. Check this clip from 2005 for proof and let us know what you think the final result of this year’s series will be.

Article link: The pride in the jersey. Written by Zolton, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

This try from 1973 is often put forward as the Greatest Try ever scored. It’s a big call. But it’s one hell of a team effort. What do you think? Any others spring to mind?

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This is a fun – and funny – video of the recent lunch held for the Wales v Australia rugby test. It’s nice to see how the other half live from time to time.

Article link: Welsh rugby lunch. Written by Zolton, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

We received this joke the other day and would love to see some more funny sporting jokes (no references to the Australian rugby team please!) posted below, as long as they’re not defamatory or scurrilous.

‘Two 90 year old men, Mike and Joe, have been friends all of their lives. When it’s clear that Joe is dying, Mike visits him every day. One day Mike says, ‘Joe, we both loved rugby all our lives, and we played rugby on Saturdays together for so many years. Please do me one favour, when you get to Heaven, somehow you must let me know if there’s rugby there’. Joe looks up at Mike from his deathbed. ‘Mike, you’ve been my best friend for many years. If it’s at all possible, I’ll do this favor for you. Shortly after that, Joe passes on. At midnight a couple of nights later, Mike is awakened from a sound sleep by a blinding flash of white light and a voice calling out to him, ‘Mike, Mike’. ‘Who is it?’ asks Mike sitting up suddenly. ‘Who is it?’ ‘Mike, it’s me, Joe’. ‘Joe! Where are you?’ ‘In heaven’, replies Joe. ‘I have some really good news and a little bad news’. ‘Tell me the good news first’, says Mike. ‘The good news’, Joe says, ‘is that there’s rugby in heaven. Better yet, all of our old friends who died before us are here, too. Better than that, we’re all young again. Better still, it’s always Spring and it never rains or snows. And best of all, we can play rugby all we want, and we never get tired’. ‘That’s fantastic’ says Mike. ‘It’s beyond my wildest
dreams! So what’s the bad news?’

‘You’re in the team for next Tuesday!’

Article link: A real Rugby joke. Written by Zolton, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

Check out this footage of Brisbane Broncos coach Wayne Bennett at his surly, monosyllabic best and tell me, what purpose does the press conference in any sport serve other than to provide a forum for cliched responses and meaningless analysis? Mind you, Bennett is notorious for being difficult at his ones. Perhaps he’s just as sick of them as the rest of us. Let us know whether you’ve ever heard anything useful come out of one of them.

Article link: Do we really need press conferences?. Written by Zolton, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

Seeing as we’re looking at ways of fixing Australian rugby, it’s interesting to quickly look back at a time [Bledisloe Cup game 1, 2000] when running rugby was encouraged and the Aussies were more than a match for their Kiwi counterparts. I was at this match and will never forget it.

Article link: A classic match. Written by Zolton, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

There’s a long way to go yet, but it looks like the Melbourne Storm will be very difficult to beat for the Rugby League premiership this year. Even with players missing they are a formidable outfit, drilled with relentless precision by coach Craig Bellamy and possessing enough instinct and flair to crack any game wide open. Can anyone seriously challenge them or should we just send the trophy down south already? Let us know your thoughts.

Article link: Storming to the title. Written by Zolton, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion

His accuracy was unnerving, for both batsman and for any hapless umpire who happened to turn down an LBW appeal against him. But it was his subtle movement both ways off the seam that really made Glenn McGrath such a lethal bowler. His strike rate against the opening batsmen in particular was phenomenal. It seemed almost inevitable whenever he took the new cherry that within the first ten overs of any match, McGrath would make a breakthrough. It must have been a daunting proposition facing him. But where does he really sit in the pantheon of great fast bowlers?

Article link: Farewell Pigeon. Written by Zolton, on The Roar - Your Sports Opinion