On the eve of the Wallabies’ squad naming for the Lions series, James O’Connor said he would “go to war for you” and “put this body on the line” to get another chance in gold.
He wasn’t lying. At least not according to the evidence of his first genuine training session on Saturday.
After sensationally being named in Joe Schmidt’s 36-man Wallabies squad after a three-year hiatus on Friday, O’Connor walked away with stitches over his left eyelid and a massive graze down his cheek one day later.
Along the way, O’Connor saw the humour in it as he revealed his battle wound on social media along with the tag line: “blessed”.
James O’Connor had a brutal first day inside Wallabies camp ahead of the first Test in Brisbane. Photo: Instagram
While Eddie Jones brought O’Connor into Wallabies camp on the eve of the 2023 World Cup, the 35-year-old hasn’t been a part of an official squad since he was axed following Australia’s 48-17 defeat to Los Pumas in Argentina.
But O’Connor’s role in the Crusaders’ Super Rugby triumph this season and a season-ending injury to Noah Lolesio saw Schmidt bring veteran flyhalf back into the fold as one of three playmakers along with Tom Lynagh and Ben Donaldson.
“I’ve been talking to James for a long time, right through the Super Rugby season,” Schmidt said after announcing his 36-man squad in Brisbane.
“It’s not that far away from where we started. Obviously, we started with Noah Lolesio and with his injury, we needed to replace him.
“Our tens are young in experience anyway, so to get James in [made sense].”
Schmidt admitted he spoke with Lynagh, who O’Connor mentored at the Reds, and All Blacks veteran David Havili, who played alongside the Wallaby this season at the Crusaders, before settling on the versatile back.
“I spoke to Tom Lynagh a little bit about the influence he had on him and his development and that was really positive,” the head coach said.
“I talked to David Havili, who is in the AUNZ team, and I’ve coached him and have a lot of time for his opinion. He said James was a real help with the two young tens at the Crusaders.
“So from that perspective, they were positives and at the same time, James of his own right played pretty solidly, coming on in the backend of the game for the Crusaders.”
James O’Connor is back in the Wallabies squad 12 years after wearing the No.10 jersey against the British & Irish Lions. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
O’Connor, who only discovered he had been brought back from the cold on Friday morning after a chance encounter with teammates in Brisbane, admitted he didn’t believe it when he was told he had been selected.
“I thought he was taking the piss… it hasn’t sunk in yet, genuinely, like it’s very surreal,” said O’Connor, who played the first of his 64 Tests in 2008.
“Noah’s injury opened up a doorway for me, and even then again, I still didn’t think I’d made it so to be here right now and to be given the opportunity, I’m excited.”
O’Connor has long targeted an international send-off against the Lions.
Having controversially been thrust into the No.10 jersey against the Lions in 2013 by Robbie Deans, the veteran Wallaby turned down offers overseas to sign with the Crusaders to try and push his international case.
Former Wallaby Morgan Turinui said O’Connor’s comeback was a remarkable story, but he could prove a valuable player for Schmidt against the Lions even if he didn’t take the field.
“James O’Connor, it is a great story,” Morgan Turinui said on Stan Sport.
“Twelve months ago, he was zero chance of making this. Nowhere near it. He went to the Crusaders, he went out on a limb, he tried something, he won a title. He’s helped close out games.
“He’s a closer. Is he going to be the starting 10 for the Wallabies in the first Test? We don’t think so, but there’s experience there, there’s a guy that’s been there, done that.
“The mistakes he’s made over his career, let alone the good things he’s done, are great lessons for the young 10s and for the Wallabies.
“There’s so much IP he can share.”
