Wallabies wonder boy James O’Connor is spruiking a midfield playmaker’s role in Australia’s time of need.
Apart from David Pocock, O’Connor was Australia’s standout performer at the Rugby World Cup, the 21-year-old coming of age with a series of match-winning performances in New Zealand.
The Wallabies’ youngest player turned the game after coming off the bench against Italy, kicked nine from 10 in the wet against Russia, crowned an awesome display in the quarter-final with the winning penalty goal against South Africa and booted Australia to victory over Wales in the bronze medal playoff.
He also produced the chase of the tournament to bring down runaway winger Tommy Bowe at the death in Australia’s shock loss to Ireland, a gallant effort that sidelined O’Connor from the USA game with a hamstring strain.
With Quade Cooper now facing at least six months rehabilitation from his knee injury and Berrick Barnes the only obvious five-eighth contender, O’Connor is eager for a senior midfield position on the Wallabies’ upcoming tour of the UK.
“It’s no secret I want to play 12. That’s the position I want to play,” O’Connor told AAP.
“I’m happy to play on the wing, bide my time, but I’ll be putting my hand up now, depending on how Quadey’s going.
“Hopefully he’ll have a speedy recovery because he’s not just a good mate of mine, but a massive asset to our team.
“But if the circumstances are such that he misses the spring tour, then I’ll definitely be putting my hand up.”
The Wallabies on Sunday confirmed that 23-year-old Cooper will next week undergo an MRI scan before having surgery to reconstruct the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, while also repairing his lateral ligament.
With 92-Test discard Matt Giteau almost certainly out of the frame, especially after tweeting that Ewen McKenzie should be the Wallabies coach after Australia’s semi-final exit from the World Cup, O’Connor even looms as a flyhalf option.
“There’s a couple of guys who can slot in. I’ve spent a bit of time at 10 and so has Kurtley,” O’Connor said.
“So you’ve got Barnesy, Kurtley and myself who can all play 10 and we’ve got a lot of centres, which is probably a big asset to us.
“We’ve also got guys on the fringes as well who can slot in the wing and fullback positions, so we do have a lot of depth in the backline.”
But if Beale is also ruled out of the spring tour with his hamstring injury, O’Connor will almost certainly be used as back-up five-eighth to Barnes, Australia’s standout man of the match in Friday night’s 21-18 win over Wales.
With Cooper and Beale both forced off inside 22 minutes, Barnes called the shots with aplomb, with young veteran O’Connor providing great support in his 36th Test since debuting on the 2008 spring tour.
“It was a big learning curve for me, losing Quade and Kurtley – two of the most dynamic players in the team, and ball players,” O’Connor said.
“So I definitely had to step up and get involved more than I guess I usually do.
“But that’s what I want to be doing. I want to be playing in tight and getting those ball-playing roles and hitting it up and getting those metres for the team.”
amband
Guest
It's the only place we can go to look for talent. For some reason we have a front row problem. Either they are not looking outside the private schools, or we are genetically inferior. League has many props who played junior rugby and they be willing to make a return It's a matter of looking and finding and I admit, it will take some time to meet with success
Cattledog
Roar Guru
You're still scoring a zero on the 'making sense' meter, amband. Try using some basic primary school punctuation and grammar...or here's a thought, read your post before adding it!
Justin
Guest
Can you kindly p!ss off! Enough with the League crap.
Mike
Guest
Amband, Yes, in theory they can learn. But its just about impossible. Thorn is one of very few to ever successfully make the change from league to a top-level tight five position. I don't have a problem with league players changing to union, if they want to. But we aren't going to get props from there, this season or next, if ever.
amband
Guest
Thorne is a former league player. Once again I say Wallabies should raid Australia league ranks for props Please, none of this crap about league forwards don't have technical expertise. Those that don't can learn
amband
Guest
Palmer is the only one that's good there. Dunning is the only one with grunt and will step up. Forget slipper. Waste of space
amband
Guest
Harris out! Born in NZ. No thanks
Mike
Guest
Horua, two comments: 1. I agree with much of your post, but I really don't understand why you would put forward Simmons, Douglas, Timani or Sykes for Wallaby lock, Your point about step-up for props is well made, but surely that applies with equal force at lock? The incumbents are Vickerman, Horwill and Sharpe - three guys who know what its like to stare Jerome Kaino or Victor Matfield in the eye. How could any of those four be a serious challenge for Wallaby lock against the incumbents, at present? 2. "No more pathetic attemps at playing rugby like the circus vs Scotland, Samoa, Ireland" Sure, everyone believes this. Everyone wants us to win every game. The question is how, which is what we are discussing.
amband
Guest
we need to get league props over who have experienced rugby as juniors. hard bastards. We have crap rugger props for some reason. Christ! surely we could do something, promote the Syd Uni props as a front row to the Waratahs?
amband
Guest
Houston. More more Kiwis for the Wallabies please
amband
Guest
like I've said a thousand times. They will not move beyond the private schools for talent if they can avoid it. Our rugby administrators must stop this tradition not even Even subscribes to now as far as I know Widen the talent pool
Mighty Horua
Guest
What we need is for our props and hookers to make the bloody step up! We have OK props but not the dominators from a country like France or England. After Moore, I cant see anybody putting in a decent performance at hooker. Poloto-Nau is so injury prone, its not funny. Saia is a very good Super rugby hooker. I remember a very young and vibrant hooker from the Force, something Charles scoring a runaway try vs the Crusaders in 2010 or something. Get that dude! Locks, with Simmons, Horwill, Douglas, Timani, Sykes (although a bit of a softie), lock from the Brumbies - well covered Loosies - Bar Pocock and Higginbotham - the cupboards are empty, I say get in somebody like a real no.8 Leroy Houston and invest in him But above all else, go out and win all games! No more pathetic attemps at playing rugby like the circus vs Scotland, Samoa, Ireland
Mighty Horua
Guest
Yes
amband
Guest
Deans out!
Justin
Guest
Disagree about just getting youngsters in. Quite simply we need to look at winning every test we play. That builds the best culture - a winning one. So throwing out deserving and well performed players isnt the answer - just make sure those that are playing are the best in their position and are not playing out of their best position. Unfortunately that hasnt been happening...
Sage
Guest
Well said JB
Mike
Guest
I agree with building for the future, but I would still keep class players as long as they can genuinely hold their position. Particularly in the forwards where our need is greatest. Look at Brad Thorn - he is four years older than Vickerman and a year older than Samo. Yet there has never been any issue about his place in the AB lineup for this RWC, nor about his actual contribution to their victory. Also, look at other great international forwards about the same age as Vickerman who can still turn games around: Bakkies Botha, Thierry Dusatoir, Immanol Harinordoquy. I agree that Rocky could go immediately, also Mumm and Palu. But Vickerman was arguably our second best forward in RWC (after Pocock). I would keep Vicks, Samo and Sharpe for as long as they keep their intensity and as long as no youngster can show themselves clearly better in those positions. Remember that the young ones won't thereby miss out on spots - we need a minimum of TWELVE good forwards for a test side, not just eight. So we need to keep all the geriatric talent we can, as well as filling up the other slots with youngsters.
jameswm
Guest
Agreed except Palu and Mitchell. Palu's only about 28 I think (checked - just turned 29), world class when fully fit, and we have no other options at 8. Apart from the forever young Samo, the cupboard is pretty much completely bare. Also - Drew Mitchell's only 27. He had the one bad injury this year, which wasn't his fault. I think it's a bit early to be discarding him, as he's been on fire when fit. We need a huge focus on our props. We have 5 good ones (Robinson, Alexander, Kepu, Slipper and Palmer), and we need at least 3 of them to kick on and become top notch. My money's on Robinson, Slipper and Palmer. Kepu has all the makings of it, but just doesn't seem to put it together yet. And can someone get Saia Fainga'a's shoulders bigger and gut smaller? He's a big talent.
Ben S
Roar Guru
'AAC only made one break this season as far as I remember and that was against Italy.' Totally and utterly incorrect. He made 2 clean breaks in the 3N alone.
GPC
Guest
agreed and I hate to say that about AAC