'I felt like I wasn't quite done': James O'Connor explains his New Zealand roots and Crusaders move

Wallabies veteran James O’Connor said that his decision to take a deal with the Crusaders was to prove that he still has more to offer at the highest level.

The 34-year-old will compete with young 10s Rivez Reihana and Taha Kemara for the starting first five-eighth role as the Crusaders look to bounce back from a disappointing 2024. After the departures of Richie Mo’unga and Fergus Burke over back-to-back seasons, the Crusaders No.10 job is wide open.

For O’Connor, returning to New Zealand brings back childhood memories where he grew up briefly in West Auckland with his Kiwi parents.

“I didn’t think I’d get the opportunity to play for the Crusaders like I have,” O’Connor told media on Wednesday. 

“Because even from so, I spent six years in New Zealand from the age of five, both my parents were born in New Zealand in the North Island, Rotorua and Cambridge.

“So when I was five years old, we moved to West Auckland. I played quite a bit of footy there, I used to watch Super Rugby, and see Crusaders dominated back then, as well as the Blues. I was a big Carlos Spencer fan.

“I did love Merhts [Andrew Mehrtens], but probably [Aaron] Mauger more. I loved watching Aaron play. 

“When the the opportunity came, it was sort of just that time my life where I can either settle and go overseas and into another, I guess, not a tier two competition, but a competition where I could just, you know, play a couple years and sort of fade out, move into coaching, or I could have one more swing.

“I felt like I wasn’t quite done. So coming here it took a bit of courage to put myself out there, but I’m very glad that I did.”

O’Connor brings 15 years of professional experience with him, having had time with the Western Force, Melbourne Rebels and two separate stints at the Queensland Reds. At Test level he has had 64 caps with the Wallabies.

The Crusaders environment has already made an impression on O’Connor even without the big names in pre-season training, and is looking forward to the attacking style of rugby.

“I knew it was going to be quick, and I knew, obviously, with the success of Crusaders had, they run a tight program,” he said.

“But I’m feeling on the training field, I can see the intensity like already without the New Zealand ‘A’ and the All Black guys there, those 15-on-15s are fast. It’s fast rugby. It’s intense, it’s flat, it’s at the line.”