Wallabies coach Dave Rennie has backed James O’Connor to bounce back from a sub-par performance in the loss to Scotland when he goes up against England golden boy Marcus Smith on Sunday.
O’Connor has been named to start at No.10 for the second week running despite criticism of his positioning in the 15-13 loss to the Scots.
Former England international Ugo Monye, speaking on the BBC, was among those who felt O’Connor played too deep.
“For as good as that Australian backline are individually, James O’Connor at 10, what was he doing?” Monye said on the Rugby Union Weekly podcast.
“He was so deep, nothing to the line, and everything I’ve appreciated about O’Connor is his ability to go to the line.
(Photo by Paul Devlin/SNS Group via Getty Images)
“I was so disappointed in that inability. If James O’Connor plays that deep to the line this weekend that England defence will swallow it up.”
On Thursday Rennie acknowledged O’Connor had had a difficult game last week, in his first start of the season.
“I think James was probably mixed last week and we’ve all had a discussion around it,” Rennie said.
“It’s more in connection, making sure we’re connected to the forwards up front, the quality of the communication coming from outside.
“All of our shot-callers have sat down, gone right through the game, looked at all our options, and so I think we’ll be better for it.
“James has certainly trained well and he’s experienced and he’s smart. So he’ll make the adjustments and we expect a high-quality performance from him on Saturday.”
O’Connor will relish the battle with 22-year-old Smith, who will be playing a fourth Test to O’Connor’s 60th.
“He’s a genuine threat, he’s certainly very quick and highly skilled and an exciting young player so you’d expect to see him play a lot of footy for England over the next few years,” said Rennie.
Smith has been attracting rave reviews from an early age and there was a clamour to give him a start against Tonga last week, only for a minor leg injury to restrict him to a role off the bench.
When he arrived he was explosive and got the crowd right behind him. O’Connor knows the story well. At 17, he becaame the youngest ever Super Rugby debutant and a year later – four years younger than Smith is now – he ran on for the Wallabies.
Earlier in the week Jones warned Smith about distractions. He used, controversially, the example of British tennis prodigy Emma Raducanu, but perhaps O’Connor, a well-documented victim of ‘distractions’, would have been a more relevant and accurate barometer.
(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
Regardless, Jones is aware of how brutal a fall it can be should ego take control, but he likes what he sees in the Harlequins playmaker and has made a couple of accommodations for him.
“Marcus knows he has to build his game, but I have been really impressed with him since I started working with him on a daily basis since the summer,” said Jones.
“He is progressing in a nice way, but this is his biggest Test, he hasn’t played a tier one country yet.”
Jones has lined Smith up alongside veteran captain Owen Farrell – there were many judges, including World Cup-winning coach, Clive Woodward who felt it was one or the other – and put Manu Tuilagi on the wing for the first time in seven years.
Rennie expects Tuilagi to come into the midfield in defence with Smith pushed out wide, to give England more defensive stability.
While Smith never shirks a tackle, his body is not yet well enough developed to handle some of the game’s bigger centres and ball-carrying forwards.
Indeed Harlequins have often moved him further along the backline from set-pieces to match him against a smaller winger, or centre.
But it’s in attack where Smith will shine.
“England’s outside backs are going to love playing outside him,” Woodward said this week.
“They will be up on their toes and fighting to get pole position on his shoulder because if you are on Smith’s shoulder you are going to get scoring passes galore.”
Jones insists Smith’s supporters should temper their expectations.
“We’re playing against the side that’s beaten the world champions twice,” he said. ” It’s a huge step but is he capable of doing it? Of course he is. He’ll rise to the challenge and handle it well but it is a big step for him.”
Marlin
Roar Rookie
Old Jimbo won't even see the bloke from where he stood last week. Might want to move up a bit and run onto the ball. Easier said than done, I know, but its hard when the ball is passed to your foot or over your head or behind your inside shoulder, so White might need to sharpen up a bit, too. Good luck and go well tonight, boys
Tim J
Roar Rookie
Clash… Harry is South African, no one has said that JOC is rubbish! You are overacting, I am waiting till after the game to see how he goes.
Tim J
Roar Rookie
You know me too well Muglair. :silly:
Tim J
Roar Rookie
You did not offend me mate! But I agree about the Fatherland and not going there, as think that it would probably upset some on here. I used America instead, as to not offend. :thumbup:
Objective Observer
Roar Rookie
Sorry, an old expression that I should probably stop using before really offending someone. I would say that historically there probably has only ever been one Fatherland, but I don’t think I should go there either.
Darren WA
Roar Rookie
I really hope you are right
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
Thanks OB, I hear your question, and I wait with interest for the answer as it unfolds in Rennie’s tenure.
Old Bugger
Roar Rookie
Yes, I suppose it is the bane of all national coaches on how to get and keep your national prospects, free from injury through their domestic season and of course, through the international season. I do think that any national HC, is able to have some say on conditioning and fitness levels during the off season - the onus I accept, is on the player to meet those conditions. I guess its a question of whether DR or his assistants, speak to all players and potential players over the phone during off-season, to tell them where they want to see improvements and whether that includes, fitness levels or personal skills levels. I don't know much about the jalopy scenario but last year, DR was adamant that overseas players were not on his radar - to the extent, that he pursued as many young players (in terms of test experience) he could get his hands on and also, that he would prefer to select Au based players instead of overseas based players. Perhaps, his exuberance has run out.....I'd like to think, his patience did but I agree, either way, he became comfortable knowing that overseas perhaps, is where the future lay and not necessarily, at home. Yep KC, the player depth issue it seems, will always remain. It's not easy to bring players in from overseas within a week from departing and landing, to train and then front up, in the run-on team. To try to avoid this scenario means resorting to what's available on the home based scene.....and hence, the problem. What concerns me is he started last year with a focus on home based players. And now, his focus has switched to overseas players. I don't know or understand why he has made this philosophical change in "player consideration"?? In the first instance, I would have hoped that he just stuck to his philosophy and continued to select players he initially chose, last year. Time and test starts, would IMO, have improved a lot of these home based players, on their journey to gain test match experience. I agree, the player depth issue isn't DR's issue but, if he has ideas to choose certain players irrespective of them being SR or overseas players, then surely, we can assume that he and his assistants, have made the appropriate contact, with those players. KC, you know my admiration for DR and what he's done to date...what concerns me most is I fear, he hasn't noticed how to overcome what is really, a rather simple concern for a coach. How to get your squad to be at its best fitness and playing ability, through a season.
Clash
Roar Pro
Tell that to the Malo and kiwi Harry 'cos according to them O’Connor is pretty rubbish and will be destroyed by another incredible Englishman. :unhappy:
Clash
Roar Pro
Talking as experts from the extra 5ths :angry: of course aren’t you. :angry: :angry: :angry:
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
OB, I hear you, and I value your insight into Rennie here, but I have to counter that Aussie and Kiwi are two very different paddocks for a coach to ply his trade. Rennie’s challenges atm, may serve to highlight how difficult and culturally alien it was for Deans when he migrated to the Oz ‘depth desert’. Rennie has taken the depth challenge, and yes, he is teetering, but I’m guessing that: 1. Conditioning and injury mgt should not be the national coach’s job until test preseason. Rennie made fitness a top priority pre-Bledisloe. Why did he have to? 2. Rennie may reason that it’s better to ‘die fit on your feet’ than ‘live unfit on your knees’. That is, let’s see what this jalopy can do before we find new parts. Rennie’s gamble here delivered a small winning streak, and some smiles amongst the stakeholders, us. 3. There is no getting around the Oz depth problem. It’s endemic, it’s seemingly eternal and it’s not any national coach’s fault or responsibility. That Rennie’s team is struggling for depth, due to injury and OS club commitments cannot surely be laid at his feet today?
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
Depleted does not = defeated
Bodger
Roar Rookie
The Wallabies missed way too many tackles last weekend and was a major drop compared to previous games. They need to be back up with a tackle completion of 95% to have a chance in this one. Field possession is going to be key, taking the points when on offer and we need to pressure their lineout. We mauled a lot from lineouts last weekend. White needs to be a lot better this week and really needs to play heads up footy. We can't just play off 10 this week. Paisami needs to find form with the ball big time. Scrum got my fingers crossed.
Tim J
Roar Rookie
OO… They are no Mother of me, :happy: Who is the Fatherland? Please do not say America. :angry:
Tim J
Roar Rookie
I am worried about extra time then.
Muglair
Roar Rookie
He knows if he gives you minutes you will only start whinging about seconds
Objective Observer
Roar Rookie
It is unfortunate that we are seeing Aus take on the motherland and the story is about the youth with experience at 10 v age and inexperience at 10. Unlikely Aus will get a win, so why shouldn’t we be giving the next generation a go as well? Because Johnston and Rennie seem to think anyone can play 10 at test level and are intent on getting short term results over developing youth.
Aussie Bob
Guest
Might also give this one a miss as well. Dark days. :unhappy:
Tim J
Roar Rookie
No minutes? :silly:
Tim J
Roar Rookie
If Smith gets quality ball, then you will be right Malo.