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How James O'Connor could form one of Super Rugby's most lethal partnerships with Suliasi Vunivalu

(Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

James O’Connor wants to do more damage with his boot and it could have direct spin-offs for Suliasi Vunivalu as the former NRL winger eyes a belated Super Rugby AU debut for the Queensland Reds.

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The two-time NRL premiership wide man missed the Reds’ 41-7 defeat of the NSW Waratahs on Friday after he was stood down by the club following an altercation with a hotel security guard that saw him charged with common assault.

Expected to find a spot in a stacked backline, or at least come off the bench, to face the Rebels at Suncorp Stadium, Vunivalu stands to benefit as O’Connor works another dimension into his game.

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The Wallabies No.10 admitted he needed to improve his in-game kicking and is keen to better exploit the 22/50 or 50/22 kicking rule brought in last season that offers possession back to the team that can execute the kick.

“That’s been a big development to get our team on the front foot in all areas,” O’Connor said of his intent to kick.

“I broke through the fundamentals with [internationally renowned kicking coach] Dave Alred, but now it’s about spotting space and identifying and putting the right kick in at the right time.”

The 50/22 came off once against the Waratahs and led to a try while another came close, and two cross-field bombs to flying wingers ensured defenders had to be wary of balls being kicked in behind them.

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With a Wallabies-laden backline and a ball-playing back row that enjoys space to run, O’Connor knows even the threat of a kick can be used to the Reds’ advantage.

“That’s the whole point of these new rules; to open the play up and create quicker footy,” O’Connor said.

“It’s what fans want to see and what we want to play, and teams know we want to throw the ball around, so if they do want to bring players to the front line we can look for corners, short kicks and space behind.”

Vunivalu and O’Connor had already spent time together in Wallabies camp when the Melbourne Storm flyer was invited soon after his NRL grand final heroics.

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He told media on his arrival at Ballymore a few months later that O’Connor had advised him to “stay on his hip”, but the No.10 said it had not played out that way at all.

“He actually came up to me and said ‘what do you need from me?’,” O’Connor said.

“We had a coffee and a chat [when he arrived in Wallabies camp]; he’s very inquisitive, picks up detail quickly, which is great.

“I just said ‘this is the basics of what I need’ and if he can master that straight away our connection will build just like it was able to with Lipo [fellow Wallabies winger Filipo Daugunu last year].”

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J
JW 33 minutes ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Where? I remember saying "unders"? The LNR was formed by the FFR, if I said that in a way that meant the 'pro' side of the game didn't have an equal representation/say as the 'amateur' side (FFR remit) that was not my intent.


But also, as it is the governing body, it also has more responsibility. As long as WR looks at FFR as the running body for rugby in France, that 'power' will remain. If the LNR refuses to govern their clubs use of players to enable a request by FFR (from WR) to ensure it's players are able to compete in International rugby takes place they will simply remove their participation. If the players complain to the France's body, either of their health and safety concerns (through playing too many 'minutes' etc) or that they are not allowed to be part in matches of national interest, my understanding is action can be taken against the LNR like it could be any other body/business. I see where you're coming from now re EPCR and the shake up they gave it, yes, that wasn't meant to be a separate statement to say that FFR can threaten them with EPCR expulsion by itself, simply that it would be a strong repercussion for those teams to be removed (no one would want them after the above).


You keep bringing up these other things I cannot understand why. Again, do you think if the LNR were not acting responsibly they would be able to get away with whatever they want (the attitude of these posters saying "they pay the players")? You may deem what theyre doing currently as being irresponsible but most do not. Countries like New Zealand have not even complained about it because they've never had it different, never got things like windfall TV contracts from France, so they can't complain because theyre not missing out on anything. Sure, if the French kept doing things like withholding million dollar game payments, or causing millions of dollars of devaluation in rights, they these things I'm outlining would be taking place. That's not the case currently however, no one here really cares what the French do. It's upto them to sort themselves out if they're not happy. Now, that said, if they did make it obvious to World Rugby that they were never going to send the French side away (like they possibly did stating their intent to exclude 20 targeted players) in July, well then they would simply be given XV fixtures against tier 2 sides during that window and the FFR would need to do things like the 50/50 revenue split to get big teams visiting in Nov.

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