Dual international Michael O’Connor has been announced as a new Wallabies selector, joining coach Michael Cheika and director of rugby Scott Johnson.
He will join coach Michael Cheika and incoming director of rugby Scott Johnson in the role as part of Rugby Australia’s high performance restructure announced late last year following the Wallabies’ worst year since 1958 with just four wins from 13 Tests.
Queensland-based O’Connor was previously an independent selector with the Wallabies from 2006-2007.
The 58-year-old played 12 Tests for the Wallabies before becoming a rugby league great with Manly, NSW and Australia.
He returned to rugby and coached the Australian men’s sevens team for seven years from 2008 to 2014.
“I’ve gained a lot of different perspectives in over 20 years of involvement in rugby at a local, national and international level and I feel privileged to be able to take on this role as a national selector,” O’Connor said via a statement.
“I’m very much looking forward to working with Michael Cheika and Scott Johnson.
“I have worked with ‘Johnno’ before with the Wallabies back in 2007 and while I haven’t worked with Michael previously I have followed his teams very closely throughout the years and I think
I’ve got a very good understanding of how he likes his team to play.
“I’m sure there will be some different ideas and perspectives thrown into the mix, and at the end of the day, we all just want to see the Wallabies be successful.”
O’Connor’s believed to have won the role ahead of John Connolly, Andrew Slack and Michael Foley.
Rugby Australia boss Raelene Castle said O’Connor’s “approach and philosophy around selection” stood out.
“He brings to the table immense experience in talent identification as well as the perspective of having played at the highest levels and coached at international level and has performed a similar role for the Wallabies in the past,” she said.
“We believe Michael’s skills will complement the skills of both Michael Cheika and Scott Johnson and create a very open and challenging selection environment in an important year for the Wallabies.”
O’Connor will begin in the role on March 21.
RA is still to fill two vacancies in the Wallabies fold following the axing of assistant coach Stephen Larkham and departure of head of athletic preparation Haydn Masters.
They will be filled following Johnson’s arrival at the completion of his commitment with the Scottish Rugby Union at the end of their Six Nations campaign.
Nigel
Guest
Have to agree!! However the two Wueenslanders mentioned do not come close to qualifying!!
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Cooper has to actually make it through a season for a start, doesn't he?
riddler
Roar Rookie
sexton threw an intercept against the poms. barely rated a mention. everyone was congratulating the guy who did the intercept. let's wait and see before we pop our cherry early doors.
jameswm
Roar Guru
I'd say Foley is one of the 3 best 10s we have. Beale doesn't work there, and Foley's in the top 3 with Cooper and Toomua. Too early to call yet, but right now Cooper has his nose in front, half way round the first bend.
jameswm
Roar Guru
I'm very worried by a couple of things he's already said. 1. He said we will have discussions, maybe even robust decisions (not his words), but Cheika will ultimately pick the team he wants. 2. He can't pick Quade while he throws no look passes. Apparently he CAN pick Foley when he throws intercepts even looking where he's throwing it (and ones that cost tries), because Foley does this every season. He can pick a 10 who is a poor defender and who has a pop gun punt. But he can't pick a guy who has a good game and throws one no look pass. Different standards anyone?
Brian
Guest
Or it could be viewed as an incredibly early appointment for RWC2023. Looks a lot like that to me. Hope for the best for this year but really get experience and the kernel of a coaching team for the next cycle.
Machiavelli
Guest
On the contrary, this could be a huge opportunity see.... https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-union/in-snoz-we-trust-to-have-a-nose-for-genuine-wallabies-talent-20190220-p50z3b.html and https://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/wallabies/confirmed-oconnor-joins-cheika-at-wallabies-selection-table/news-story/4b24d2ba0acb4f27665397bf680a23cb
Andrew Joseph
Roar Rookie
Why Foley? Red flag to bull there mate. Crazy number of games in 2018. Missed match winner against Hurricanes. Too early to pick flyhalf yet. No position should be safe. Novel idea, but judgement on best flyhalf should be reserved till June based on performances from Super Rugby season. If Rebels backline are killing it…. if players hold their nerves with clutch goals, well… Also ACT talent Larkham had the right attitude. He got the chop, Cheika retained NSW assistant grey though who had bad performance as defence coach. I think most people can see what is going on. Bias.
Andrew Joseph
Roar Rookie
Would be ok if all selectors were impartial, but they are not. Cheika to close to 2014 waratahs. That is now impacting Wallabies performance. Hence you do actually need someone as equally biased to balance him out. Or, you remove Cheika as selector and replace him with a not so biased queenslander or act forward specialising selector.
Andrew Joseph
Roar Rookie
Fair call. Canberra royals 78-80. Brisbane norths 81-82. Still leaves Cheika as selector. Cheika just needs to coach. Replace him with a qld selector who understands forwards inside out. Cheika can then tell selectors what he wants, and the selectors say thanks but no thanks, these are the players oz needs to have any chance in the World Cup.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Yeah exactly. It’s not state bias. It’s bias to players from the team he coached. All managers have bias towards people they have worked with before. Even flawed people. They devil you know is better than the devil you don’t.
MitchO
Guest
I don't think state bias will be a problem. I do think Cheika is just loyal to people he thinks have the "right attitude" and not only are many of those guys his former Tahs team some of them are Tahs. In fairness to Bernard Foley he is without doubt one of the best two 10s that Australia has. He may even be our best 10. I'd rather have BBBB but I'm stuck with Foley being one of the best we have. I believe that Australia has the cattle if used properly to take a game off anyone including the All Blacks if the sun shines on the dogs butt that day. O'Connor and Johnson can help remind Cheika of what selections/tactics are required to win a game on a given day coz Cheika is actually weak on working that bit out. So it is not too late. Much of the team picks itself. Dempsey is the best 6 we've got. If he stays healthy he plays 6. There is a question mark over DHP but at least he is a test class player so even if you prefer a Hodge or Banks etc, DHP is okay. That just leaves 12 as the real lottery. KB should get pushed back to super sub. Suddenly we have a team so good it could even beat Ireland.
Aiden
Guest
Agree, its all too late. No-one thinks we can win past the 1/4s. Having said that, picking more consistent performers and picking people in their correct positions isn't going to hurt.
Aiden
Guest
He's not a NSW stalwart though. I don't see him as someone who is in the same club/socials circles as the usual suspects. Having some connection with a State at some point should not disqualify you. You have assumed that coming from a State leads to bias. I'd agree that in Chieka's case he favors Waratahs who do not deserve his ongoing loyalty, but is that a State thing or is it due to bonds he forged with players who delivered him a trophy. Think about it this way, do you actually believe that if the same under-performing blokes were playing for the Reds that O'Conner (with all his QLD connections) would pick them over others?
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Was born in Nowra too. But yeah. Has more Rugby Union ties to ACT and QLD than NSW.
AJ
Guest
Do some research on OConnor. Was from ACT originally, moved to and played for Qld, married to a QLDER and apparently lives in Qld. Might have played for NSW origin in league but that goes where first played league, in his case St George.
Andrew Joseph
Roar Rookie
Chieka has a bias towards his NSW players who delivered him a title in 2014. There is no counteracting force against this bias. At best o'connor and johnson are impartial.
Charlie Turner
Guest
I think the way (the new) selectors will go is to pick combinations where possible from the Super XV sides. I'm also hoping players are selected in their natural positions. Odds are Snoz and SJ will be having a few beers on the quite over the next few months.
Paul D
Roar Rookie
The bigger problem is that it matters to some people which state they come from.
Andrew Joseph
Roar Rookie
Michael O'Connor. Great bloke and Australian. We have a problem though. 100% of selectors are NSW. Chieka, Johnson, O'Connor. 0% from ACT. 0% from QLD. This is an unacceptable outcome.