Wing novice James O’Connor is being viewed as Australia’s Achilles heel but he’ll have an All Blacks record-breaker on edge on Saturday night.
After overcoming Springbok superstar Bryan Habana in his wing baptism last week, the challenge doesn’t get any easier for the 20-year-old when he marks Joe Rokocoko.
New Zealand’s `Rocket Man’, who is set to eclipse former greats Jonah Lomu and John Kirwan as the All Blacks most-capped winger, enjoys a significant size and experience advantage over O’Connor.
But the 64-Test flyer fears he’ll be shown up by the Wallabies wonderboy, who he likened to jockey-sized Welsh wizard Shane Williams.
“They’re so elusive smaller wingers,” Rokocoko said. “I’d rather mark someone who is solid and big, than someone who is small and nippy.
“They can step off both feet and run really sharply, so he’ll be a handful.”
O’Connor, 10cm shorter and 14kg lighter than Rokocoko, is happy to hear it but has his own concerns in what looms as one of the more intriguing positional battles at Etihad Stadium.
“I guess I would say the opposite because I’m the smaller bloke,” he said. “The bigger blokes are tougher and especially when you have a bit of speed on you as well.”
One thing is for sure, O’Connor is certain to be targeted by NZ even though they denied reports a photo of their team plans attempted to expose him as reported.
Added to his minimal time out wide, he was terrorised by Dan Carter’s kicks in his run-on Bledisloe Cup debut in Wellington last year in a 33-6 thumping by the All Blacks.
O’Connor expects flyhalf Carter’s pin-point bombs, which land just as their chasers arrive, will again be a feature of NZ’s game plans.
Winger Cory Jane outleapt the utility back in Wellington for the All Blacks opening try while O’Connor mistimed and dropped his first high ball in last week’s 30-13 win over the Springboks.
“Carter can put up a good high ball so I’ll be ready for that,” he said. “Carter’s got the ball on a string.”
While O’Connor is Australia’s youngest player, he’s more experienced in Bledisloe battles than eight teammates who are set to face NZ for the first time.
NSW centre Rob Horne is one who is savouring the prospect 10 years after being at a packed Olympic stadium as an 11-year-old when Lomu scored in the dying seconds for a 39-35 All Black win.
“That was unbelievable,” he recalled on Thursday. “Like the other 100,000 fans there I was pretty filthy he went over.”
Richierich
Guest
JOC was he on the field.......... Can't say I seen him to much, another over hyped player. Surely there must be some other talent running around in Australia who can at least have an impact on the game, James was a non event
Damo
Guest
Yes Cattledog I was there too Definitely the best game I ever saw AND WE LOST! Lucky we did too cause if we hadn't we would've been accused of loving the game just cause we won it. NZ are the favourites tonight. They are too strong all over the park. They have form ,winning combos and great tactics and a ruthless winning culture. They are definite favourites and I hope they believe it too.
Ben S
Roar Guru
Not sure, WE. You do hear of players coming back saying their joint is stronger than ever, so who knows, though I do get your point. Mealamu has been exceptional, back to his 2003 best. I always thought Eliot looked a little on the small side, and his lineout throwing wasn't great.
warrenexpatinnz
Guest
Hooker may become a problem area for the ABs as Hore's shoulder injury may affect his strength, I assume ex hookers would say that coming back from a shoulder reconstruction is a difficult ask? Mealamu is a top bloke, humble and a good solid player but he was brought back into the ABs more because of Hore's injury and Flynn's brittleness. Hika Elliot was one player I thought might be built around but with Afoa being groomed in the ways of 2 he must be on the outer well and truly?
Ben S
Roar Guru
That all sounds fair. I wouldn't like to call a scrum favourite for this. I recall reading an article written by an English scrum guru noting how strong and dominant a scrummager Hore was. I'd be surprised if Mealamu leads the line as well as Hore. Woodcock likes to 'cheat' the ref from time to time, and Owen Franks, despite being a real powerhouse, still seems unsure of when to hold off. He always seems to be going for that one big shove, ending up in the front row popping on his side. Refs don't always like that. Robinson and Moore are obviously very good at the tight work, so the only real weak link is Ma'afu. Obviously the ref's interpretation and the surface will come into consideration too.
warrenexpatinnz
Guest
Read a comment regards Mafu and that the improvement seen in him last week was put down to Moore and Robinson. When the Wallabies fielded the most inexperienced front row ever in an International against England the highlighted problem was that unlike the ABs who had a similar scenario in their June tests but they had Kevin Mealamu being the mortar, the Wallaby young three had only each others nervousness and inexperience to draw upon. I expect the Wallaby pack to hold its own and for both teams to have one or two good hits.
Ben S
Roar Guru
2: I thought NZ scrummaged well against SA, but that the SA scrum showed real improvement against Australia with the inclusion of Botha.
warrenexpatinnz
Guest
Come on OJ, four weeks cold then play a Bok side that at least had two hard games under the belt. It was pleasing that there were line breaks and better still that there were guys running up to and along side those break players. Yes it was disappointing that the breaks of Elsom, Genia and Giteau weren't converted for tries but I would expect that timing and positioning to be improved this week. Tonights test should give me some answers for the following; 1: Is Weepu cursed and is Cowan better than Weepu? My opinion is Weepu plays far better against Aussie than Cowan and if form counted his performance in Wellington should have secured him the startin berth for a while 2: How is it that the AB scrum is seen as superior to the Wallabies presently when both the ABs and Wallabies secured pass marks only against the Boks? 3: Will Joubert yellow card in the first twenty, by that I mean Pocok or McCaw for a infringement near the try line? 4: Can Nonu defend against Giteau and Barnes when he is targeted. Nonu was largely untested against the Boks and will be interested to see if his defence has improved at the same pace his refound attacking prowess has Go the Wallabies
Cattledog
Guest
Interesting comment by young Rob Horne. Whilst from a Wallaby perspective it was disappointing to see Lomu score that try, I'm sure the largest rugby crowd in history went away, as I did, feeling we had just been witness to the greatest game of rugby ever, up until that point, at any rate. However, I suppose an 11 year old doesn't look at all the positives. Rugby was the definate winner that night.
Cattledog
Guest
Seeing O'Connor was average to rubbish last week...you had a few too many Darwin Stubbies before the match, me thinks!
jameswm
Guest
FOS - rugby is all about speed off the mark and speed changing direction. Roc might be quicker over 100, but you rarely get the chance to run guys doewn on a rugby field. JOC is also incredibly strong for a not-so-big guy. I look forward to him playing 12 next to QC in 2-3 years. With Horne, Genia, Rocket Rod Davies, KB etc, they'll be dynamite.
Tragic
Guest
When I saw JOC seriously bounce off Shalk Burger last Saturday night I thought for the first time that he could be a good inside centre - where he was schooled in the game, if I'm correct. JOC has great strength considering his size and works incredibly well in close-quarter contests. I actually now think that he has been playing out of position for some time and the untouchability of Giteau and Barnes at inside centre has thwarted experimentation of him there. I think that he has a good passing and relatively good kicking game, and and these factors coupled with the time he spent working at 5/8 for the force, make me think he could be a future test Inside Centre. I expect the Wallabies, and JOC for that matter, to get bashed on Saturday night, however. This slippery surface will favour the team with the most cohesiveness and the strongest forward pack, i.e. NZ. My delusional prediction: Wallabies bashed here and in NZ, with Quade coming back to weave some magik (yes, with a k), in Sydney, where we will be playing for 2nd place in the Tri Nations.
Tragic
Guest
tragic...
Coxinator
Guest
Seriously, JOC is talented but often selfish and as OJ said, out of position in support. Not that Rocokoko will hurt him, he hasn't looked brilliant for about 4 years. Jane and Dagg are far more to worry about.
TommyM
Guest
DS- What did JOC do wrong besides dropping that one high ball?? Details and precise times in the game please. Did he bully you at school or something?
DaMan3000
Guest
I am hanging for Pocock v McCaw. It's like the Master v the Apprentice (of another master???) but last week Pocock showed that he is ready. I really hope he backs up. But I want McCaw to teach him a few more lessons too!!!!
Tui
Guest
"Happy to take the pain now, just look out when he’s 40 tests in and they’ll wonder at the monster they’ve created" im glad we dont have that kind of attitude to be perfectly honest.
cookie
Guest
Can't see O'Connor beating Joe. He'll either get belted or hold the fort.
Winston
Guest
Yeah have seen Drew bounce off Joe a few times in an attempt to stop him.
Winston
Guest
How did you judge that mate. I doubt it from all I've seen. Check out Joe's try scoring record when he started playing for the ABs. It was pretty much 1 try per test for his first 25 or so tests. He's very quick off the mark. Anyway look at Pier Spies he is bigger and probably faster than both and has done nothing on a rugby lately. I'm picking JOC to have a good game but he'll be at most the third best winger on the night and forth if Izy Dagg plays on the wing. That boy can "play"