When James O’Connor walked out in bare feet onto the Test arena in Johannesburg in 2019 you were immediately on notice that the one-time enfant terrible had changed.
Just how wasn’t yet obvious. He was wearing his non-playing Wallaby kit all neat and tidy but with no footwear pre-game.
“What’s doing?” Greg Growden, the late Sydney Morning Herald scribe, would have said with eyebrows raised in strange moments like that.
I’ve always been curious about it. O’Connor gave a clear-headed answer when asked about the weirdly incongruous moment a week before his remarkable Test comeback.
“Grounding,” he said, “Literally, when you connect with the earth it stimulates something different in your brain.”
It’s a therapeutic technique and research says you can get charges from the earth that work on your body in a positive way.
“For me, it’s a centring. I remember as a very young kid in NZ when I wasn’t wearing shoes to school. From the physical point of view, it strengths ankles, calves and allows the feet to move properly.”
At 31, O’Connor will tell you his movement is back to what it was as a younger man with his hips moving better and his alignment improved as well.
These are small things but they all matter because this is a player who had to literally rebuild his body and mind from ground zero. In his extended break since Super Rugby, he has sharpened his pace. Another small but important thing.
Don’t underestimate how much this Test against Scotland at Murrayfield will mean to O’Connor early on Monday morning Australian time (1am AEDT).
He will know it is another huge step in his story.
The 14 Tests of his comeback since 2019 have all been in Australia, New Zealand or Japan.
Incredibly, this will be his first Test against a Six Nations side in the United Kingdom since 2011 when he guided a win over Wales in Cardiff.
(Photo by Getty Images)
He was “Selfish James” back then. This Test will be all about the sharing O’Connor bringing other players into the game, underplaying his hand and getting satisfaction that way. It’s been the biggest change in the new O’Connor since his rebirth in 2019.
The truth of this season is that the juggle of Noah Lolesio, Quade Cooper and now O’Connor at flyhalf is the best possible result for the Wallabies.
Many may argue that one figure playing at No.10 all season is the dream result.
I can’t agree. Playing 14 Tests in a row would not have been a desirable possibility for any of the trio.
O’Connor would not have been physically up to it after such a full-on season in the saddle for the Queensland Reds. His body broke down a little as it turned out and he will be rejuvenated when he starts his first Test of 2021 against the Scots.
Cooper’s five-Test comeback from the clouds was all that was needed to judge that he still has plenty to offer at Test level. Yes, it would have been preferable to have him lining up against the Scots but he has shown in spades his commitment to fitness and skill work even with a lower-level Japanese club.
Don’t get sucked into the to-and-fro of the Club versus Country debate swirling around him and hints that he won’t be picked in 2022 if he doesn’t commit to Super Rugby.
You can’t audition more strongly than five starts and five wins, including two over the world champion South Africans.
Well, you can. He’s lost the last five times he’s started at flyhalf in Tests against the All Blacks and that will be the cauldron in which coach Dave Rennie judges him next season.
Having young Noah Lolesio start in six Tests against France and the All Blacks was ideal this season. It was ideal because it showed that for all his good moments, there were still too many immature ones for him to be considered the Wallabies’ best starting Test flyhalf option.
If he’d merely played 10 or 20 minutes off the bench in most of those Tests we would have got a false read and thought him more advanced than he is.
He’s still only 21 so the eight career Tests to his name are a great education for the seasons ahead. He misread moments in his Tests this year, kicking when he should have retained the ball or not being able to unlock the best of the backs outside him.
He’ll keep getting better because that intercept try and the crunch penalty goal to beat the French in the series-decider in July told us so.
None of these assessments would have been possible without being forced to play three No.10s this season. The All Blacks have been forced into something similar with Richie Mo’unga, Beauden Barrett and Damian McKenzie in 2021.
Now, it’s O’Connor’s turn and don’t the Wallabies need a big one from him to win the most attainable result of the UK leg of this tour.
AJ
Guest
Thanks Jim I feel the same but you put it so much better. James would have been the starting 10 back in September were he not injured, surely. He'll be facing some line speed so will be interesting to see the approach. The jury is still out for me on Noah but willing to see where it goes. Would like to see more of Donaldson next season. He should be loaned out if not in the Tahs 23 IMO. By the way do you think that we may see Duncan P get a run at some stage? For me he is a ball playing 12. Admittedly this was only club rugby, but I watched him regularly carve up better regarded backlines when he played for the lowly Norths Eagles. They simply had no answer. Not sure why but it didn't translate at the Reds for him.
Ace
Guest
Watson schooled Hooper that day..Absolutely destroyed him.He will do it again
BrotherBart
Guest
Welcome to being brought back to reality Australian rugby. You are about to be taught a big lesson this weekend.
HiKa
Roar Rookie
Here you go: Scotland beat the Wallabies 24-17 in Sydney in 2017 then backed it up with a record 53-24 win at Murrayfield on 25 November 2017. If they manage to win this next match they will equal their record winning streak against Australia of three (3) in a row which they previously achieved from 1975 to 1982. (Australia then won 16 in a row from 1982 to 2009.) The teams at Murrayfield in November 2017 were: Australia Scotland #01 Scott Sio #01 Darryl Marfo #02 Stephen Moore #02 Stuart McInally #03 Sekope Kepu #03 Simon Berghan #04 Rob Simmons #04 Grant Gilchrist #05 Blake Enever #05 Jonny Gray #06 Ben McCalman #06 John Barclay #07 Michael Hooper #07 Hamish Watson #08 Sean McMahon #08 Ryan Wilson #09 Will Genia #09 Ali Price #10 Bernard Foley #10 Finn Russell #11 Reece Hodge #11 Byron McGuigan #12 Samu Kerevi #12 Pete Horne #13 Tevita Kuridrani #13 Huw Jones #14 Marika Koroibete #14 Tommy Seymour #15 Kurtley Beale #15 Sean Maitland #16 Tatafu Polota-Nau #16 Fraser Brown #17 Tetera Faulkner #17 Jamie Bhatti #18 Taniela Tupou #18 Zander Fagerson #19 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto #19 Ben Toolis #20 Lopeti Timani #20 Cornell du Preez #21 Nick Phipps #21 Henry Pyrgos #22 Karmichael Hunt #22 Phil Burleigh #23 Henry Speight #23 Ruaridh Jackson Scotland made 18 clean breaks while the Wallabies missed 35 tackles in that performance - one of the high points of the musical chairs defence. The only WB forwards still there are Hooper and Tupou. The only WB back from that team, remarkably, is Beale. (Kerevi and Koroibete would be if not unavailable.) I can spot six Scottish players from this lot who play Sunday afternoon/Monday morning: Halves Ali Price and Finn Russell, props Fagerson and Bhatti, lock Gilchrist and flanker Watson. Lots of changes in both teams, but the biggest change in the match up is that Scotland still has Gregor Townsend as coach while the WB's have shifted to Dave Rennie.
BrotherBart
Guest
Well he wasn’t playing last time we put 50 points on you lot, was he? A few others were though. What was the score again? Thin it was about Scotland 50 - Australia 20 or something like that? Remind me.
Short Arm
Roar Rookie
Played 10 at school as well.
UnvaxedTahsfanboy
Roar Rookie
He is not a natural 10. Hope we win though.
Marshy
Guest
JOC has been playing elite level 10 for at the Reds for a few years now. Where he performed well and won the SRAU title. I thought he outplayed Noah in that final too. But Noah is still developing. Before he was playing 10 for Reds, he was playing 10 for Sale Sharks too. Earned a lot of respect in the UK as a result. Then going back to more ancient history, he often moved between 10 and 15 and outside backs as utility. But 10 has certainly been his position for about 5 years now. Will be very interesting to see how he goes this weekend.
UnvaxedTahsfanboy
Roar Rookie
Hes not a natural 10. He may be in a position to play it at a high level like Horan in 97, but the old specialist english/welsh or kiwi guy playing 10 in 3rd grade at your local club understands way more how to control a team from 10.
Malo
Guest
Expect slow and poor service by Joc. He ain’t a 5/8, just taking game time off someone who will be a 5/8.
Gepetto
Roar Rookie
I don't believe it... A complimentary article about an Australian #10 from Jim Tucker and no slagging off Quade. I'm guessing you're not writing something trollish to sell the C-M on this site.
Clean balls
Guest
James set up a fairly nice inside ball to Kellaway to score in the last 10 mins of that one I recall. Shape was good.
Jim Tucker
Expert
You can play off 9 or 10. Joc is happy to let White dictate or share playmaking
Jim Tucker
Expert
I think Tate says it best...he has to improve his pass. He’s a gun but White is more complete
Morsie
Roar Rookie
White is a leader, one of the veterans, he determines a lot of the plays. In a crucial position, in the cauldrons ahead, you don't want one of the "juniors". Stop rushing the youngsters. There is NOTHING to be gained starting him ahead of White.
Short Arm
Roar Rookie
Thanks Jim for the article. It has been good to see these older flyhalves coming back to the Wallaby fold because Noah was doing nothing as you say in "unlocking the best of the backs". They have created more interest in the game & have brought a calmness to the backline. Can't wait to watch JOC v Finn Russell go head to head. Also, I would be interested who of the other young #10's running around SR you rate as a possible Wallaby in the future?
Harry Jones
Expert
Thanks for the good read!
Wallabies_Larkham
Roar Rookie
James as long as JOC does not perform that stint he had of the bench against Los pumas..then we should be good to get the win...
Wallabies_Larkham
Roar Rookie
Well Leroy..I am willing to give it a go..the partnership between JOC and paisami although I am not fond of it...paisami need to perform to justify his place..it didn't work for him when QC was the 10..now let's see if JOC is at 10...
Marshy
Guest
JOC performed quite well in the harshest of harsh environments in the 2020 Bledisloe. Probably the last time I personally saw him play some actual sustained minutes in the 10 Gold. I was very happy we held that Cup though! Has has had the injury time off. Will be very interesting to see where he is at on recovery.