Queensland Reds and Wallabies player James O’Connor has been named Super Rugby player of the year for the significant role he played in steering his side to the 2021 Australian title.
O’Connor was the joint top point scorer in the regular season and he was also in the Top 10 stat leaders for carries, defenders beaten and metres carried.
It comes after O’Connor returned to Australia in the middle of 2019 with what was reported to be strict behaviour clauses on his Reds contract.
O’Connor has spoken about how much he’s matured from his controversial past including being dumped by the Wallabies in 2013 and in a separate incident arrested in 2017 for cocaine possession.
“I wasn’t playing well so I started chasing things off the field,” O’Connor told Stan Sports last year.
However, O’Connor has put all that behind him and has been rewarded for his hard work in shaping the Reds into a winning team.
“It’s a huge honour to be named the Super Rugby Player of the Year. I’m really proud of where we got to as a team last year,” O’Connor said.
“We had a great season winning the Super Rugby AU title, and this is a nice piece of recognition to finish it off.
“Our attention has now turned to the inaugural Super Rugby Pacific competition. I feel like we fell short last year in the combined competition, so I’m very excited to test ourselves against the best of the best again and go a step further.”
In further good news for the Queensland club, the Reds swept the senior awards with Lucy Lockhart winning the Super W player of the year.
Lucy Lockhart. (Image: supplied, Rugby Australia)
It’s part of a week-long celebration of the Rugby Australia Awards which will culminate in the 2021 John Eales Medal being announced on Sunday morning.
A member of the Queensland Reds for the past two years, Lockhart was named vice-captain for the 2021 Super W season in Coffs Harbour and helped steer the side to its second finals appearance in a row.
“I think being named as vice-captain and subsequently in the Reds leadership group had a big influence on the way I approached the game last year,” Lockhart said.
“It was a fantastic season for our side last year and I think the side is ready to get over the hump and win a championship.”
glenn
Guest
Two eyes....see specsavers. :silly:
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Obviously your eyes are what you say, as tell me, where did I say he was a rubbish player??????? Are you delusional, as well??? So nump, as i've said, thats your belief, or your opinion, so just keep your cool Bro, as I know what I saw, but I had two eyes on that. Some people!!!
numpty
Roar Rookie
Yep my eyes are busted. And so are Thorn's, Rennie's, Cheika's along with the rest of the wallaby front row who have to put up with such a rubbish player as you seem to think, and the blokes from rugbypass, and those that gave him super rugby player of the year last year. They all have it wrong and Muzzo the wise one can see what none of them can. Watch Tupou against SA in round 4 of the RC last year and tell me how many props could do what he did. Quote from an article, "Prop Tupou was monumental in a 78-minute shift after getting a chance to start, two big runs setting up first-half tries and then a deft no-look pass on the run to Koroibete in the second half creating a third." He also nullified the bok scrum and maul which was responsible for 3 tries in game 1 when AAA started (a handy THP also).
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
So Adsa what are those penalties that you suggest?? Especially from set play??
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
As I said numpty, that's your opinion. NOT mine, & if your eye's are that bad, as to believe every sports scribe, & so called expert, then that alone says it all. Anyway have all those you mentioned, told you personally? Having been there & done many of what you mentioned, that is where MY opinion comes from. So obviously I might say the same about yours!!
Francisco Roldan
Roar Rookie
I like O'Connor's style and I think he is part of one of the best attacking platforms AUS has to offer. Imagine if I added more speed in decision making, precision in the kicking game and aggressiveness in the transition game...? We would be talking about one of the best 10 in the world. Greetings to all...!
jeznez
Roar Guru
Wouldn’t have thought Valetini was close to the JEM. Really grew into international rugby over the course of the season but was quiet to the extent he got benched for Naisarani v the French. Got his spot back but remained relatively quiet v the AB’s. Had some good matches against SA and Argentina but quite mixed on the NH tour. Scotland in particular he wasn’t prominent. He’s the first player I pick at 8 but hard to see him as a favourite for the JEM.
JC
Roar Rookie
Yes, it was a big Super season for JOC — thrust into the captaincy as well as being the Reds’ game-manager and goal-kicker, and sealing AU with that last-minute try. Plenty of accolades coming Bobby V’s way if he continues to step up.
The Yabbie
Roar Rookie
Any team that has both Thor and Kerevi will most likely win.
Adsa
Roar Rookie
Muzzo Taniela concedes far more penalties from ill discipline than scrums. No penalties conceded v Scotland and only 1 v Wales for a poor tackle. He is not penalised in scrums as much as you suggest and wins far more penalties for his team at scrum time.
Tim J
Roar Rookie
They should name a movie after you! Ace lost in Space, while the theme music is done by non other than Ace of Bass.
Tim J
Roar Rookie
Congratulations JOC, I am not a fan of his being an International 10. But gee he did have a great season and played without being selfish, he put the team first. So credit where credit is due, his confidence will only improve and he is maturity has to be appreciated.
numpty
Roar Rookie
But Tupou isn't the only one who angles, they all do it... So its a 'failure' of all of them. Angling is a skill/technique they use to push the rules of the game to get an advantage just like a good 7 coming into the ruck on a slight angle for instance. Yes, everyone is allowed their opinion. But the opinion can be wrong, inaccurate, or uninformed, and they are open to criticism and ridicule just like everyone else's opinion as well. I'll take the opinion of a panel of rugby experts along with the likes of Rennie and several other coaches/players who rate Tupou highly over yours.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Great shout JC, Valetini was a stand out in the early rounds. Think they probably got it right though with JOC being more influential later in the season.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Congrats JOC - well deserved. Had a great season for the Reds. If we compare Super AU Player of the Year awards, I preferred Taniela in 2020 but absolutely credit where credit is due for the 2021 season. Well done JOC.
Bobbles
Guest
Hooper will win the JE medal, it's a clause in his RA/Cheika contract .
Whatsamatta?
Guest
Nahhhhhhhhhhhh Taniela is still better than anybody the aigs put up.
Terry
Guest
Yes. Thor is ozzie best player along with Kerevi Marika and Quade.Daylight next.
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Well IMO, that's a big failure in his play. Years ago, as I said, he would've been sorted out by the players for doing it, but with today's technology it's pretty hard to get away with those sorting out procedures. You can show all this BS with THEIR best in the world, but we all have an opinion, which we are entitled too, to our thoughts, based on what we've seen, & in some cases been involved in. Oh, did you notice, how many times he was pinged by overseas international refs, last season, for not binding correctly? Obviously not.
Ace
Guest
Thank fck hooper didnt win it. I know they really wanted to give him another participation award for being such a winner. :unhappy: