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James O'Connor set for first Reds appearance in five years

By Online Editors

15 Jan 2020

James O'Connor spent three seasons with Toulon from 2014 to 2017. (Photo by Getty Images)

James O’Connor is set to make his long-awaited return for the Queensland Reds in Friday’s Super Rugby trial match against Melbourne Rebels in Gladstone.

The Wallabies utility last played for the Reds five years ago, released from his contract that came in between stints in France and England respectively.

But O’Connor returned to Australian rugby with a point to prove, earning a World Cup spot last year and he is now keen to help end the Reds’ seven-year finals drought.

O’Connor is part of coach Brad Thorn’s 28-man squad to face the Rebels in one of just two pre-season hit-outs.

World Cup duo Lukhan Salakaia-Loto and Taniela Tupou have also been named, along with new skipper Liam Wright, who made his Test debut last year.

Continue reading below…

However fellow Wallabies Izack Rodda and Jordan Petaia have been rested, along with off-season recruit Henry Speight, who has a fight on his hands to earn a starting spot on the wing this season despite boasting 19 Test caps.

A logjam of backrowers will also compete for minutes before their first-round clash with the Brumbies on January 21.

They include Junior Wallabies talent and last season’s National Rugby Championship rising star Harry Wilson, 20 and Fraser McReight.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B6xNoW7AXQO/

McReight had off-season hip surgery and wasn’t named to play in Gladstone.

But the emerging pair are likely to push Salakaia-Loto, Wright and Angus Scott-Young for backrow minutes this season since the departure of former captain Scott Higginbotham.

Wilson said he wouldn’t shy away from his next challenge after dominating the second-tier competition last season.

“I’ll take the confidence from there, backing myself and hopefully it transfers into Super Rugby – but I guess I’ll find out tomorrow,” Wilson said.

It's been a long time since the @Reds_Rugby last reached the @SuperRugby play-offs, but the beginning of the decade proved to be a breakthrough period for the Queensland club. #Reds #SuperRugby https://t.co/9Y1i3kkUfT
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) December 20, 2019

“(The backrow depth) makes training very difficult, very competitive in a good way.

“But it matters what you do in a game so all of us tomorrow will be ripping in, playing together but playing as hard as you can.”

Reds squad: Dane Zander, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Alex Mafi, Sean Farrell, Efi Ma’afu, Taniela Tupou, Dave Feao, Josh Nasser, Angus Blyth, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Ryan Smith, Tuaina Taii Tualima, Angus Scott-Young, Liam Wright, Harry Wilson, Seru Uru, Tate McDermott, Moses Sorovi, Isaac Lucas, James O’Connor, Hamish Stewart, Hunter Paisami, Chris Feauai-Sautia, Filipo Daugunu, Jock Campbell, Ilaisa Droasese, Bryce Hegarty, Lawson Creighton.

– AAP

Brad Thorn has appointed young flanker Liam Wright as captain for the season ahead:

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Comments on RugbyPass

GrahamVF 8 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

About 500K of those are schoolboys 90% of which will not go on to play club rugby.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 9 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Exactly. Shoo would that it was so easy to develop competitions.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 13 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

SA wealthy? Compared to which countries. The economy is in tatters unemployment is at record low numbers and you think SA has money to spend on rugby development -0 and remember the SARU was technically bankrupt and was only saved by the COVID tour of the B&I Lions. No Sa doesn't have spare cash lying round for rugby development and given the resources SARU is doing just fine.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 17 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

South African domestic rugby is in great shape. Four top tier franchises fed by a series of competitions ranging from national schools competitions through Varsity Cup to Currie Cup and then to top four franchises is a model Australia would do well to follow. SA should never have more than four top domestic teams.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 21 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

That might be the best spin off from SA's involvement north of the line.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 22 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Of course not Nick 😉

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 26 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

We have our own theories about The Sharks. Plumtree is a good coach but he has not done anywhere near the best he could with the talent and money he has at his disposal and it doesn't help to have a marquee director of rugby who has spent by far the majority of his career playing and coaching sevens.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 31 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Don't worry - you'll win again soon then you'll feel a lot better. Right now get on with your SH comps and we'll get on with being barely the best in the world.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 34 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

JW you really have no idea of how Africa works. It will take generations not decades no matter how much SA puts into it. The poverty in Africa is something that is obviously beyond your understanding. Do you think the governments of impoverished nations are going to watch happily as rugby pours massive investments into infrastructure to promote what is essentially a white western game? And SA was trying hard to develop the game in Africa until the African vote blocked our "23 bid after the independent consultants to the RFU voted unanimously for SA? The Confederation of African Rugby virtually excluded South Africa.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 44 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Nick, our association with Argentina Rugby runs very long and deep. We are exploring reciprocal two/three test tours in the future - and even more games at neutral venues such as in Europe where a lot of both teams have players anyway.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 47 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

"has SA actually EVER helped to develop another union to maturity like NZ has with Japan," yes - Argentina. You obviously don't know the history of Argentinian rugby. SA were touring there on long development tours in the 1950's

We continued the Junior Bok tours to the Argentine through to the early 70's

My coach at Grey High was Giepie Wentzel who toured Argentine as a fly half. He told me about how every Argentinian rugby club has pictures of Van Heerden and Danie Craven on prominent display. Yes we have developed a nation far more than NZ has done for Japan. And BTW Sa players were playing and coaching in Japan long before the Kiwis arrived. Fourie du Preez and many others were playing there 15 years ago.

"Isaac Van Heerden's reputation as an innovative coach had spread to Argentina, and he was invited to Buenos Aires to help the Pumas prepare for their first visit to South Africa in 1965.[1][2] Despite Argentina faring badly in this tour,[2] it was the start of a long and happy relationship between Van Heerden and the Pumas. Izak van Heerden took leave from his teaching post in Durban, relocated to Argentina, learnt fluent Spanish, and would revolutionise Argentine play in the late 1960s, laying the way open for great players such as Hugo Porta.[1][2] Van Heerden virtually invented the "tight loose" form of play, an area in which the Argentines would come to excel, and which would become a hallmark of their playing style. The Pumas repaid the initial debt, by beating the Junior Springboks at Ellis Park, and emerged as one of the better modern rugby nations, thanks largely to the talents of this Durban schoolmaster.[1]"

After the promise made by Junior Springbok manager JF Louw at the end of a 12-game tour to Argentina in 1959 – ‘I will do everything to ensure we invite you to tour our country’ – there were concerns about the strength of Argentinian rugby. South African Rugby Board president Danie Craven sent coach Izak van Heerden to help the Pumas prepare and they repaid the favour by beating the Junior Springboks at Ellis Park.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Which country do you think was instrumental in developing rugby in Argentina which then spun off into the rest of Latin South America? South Africa was touring Argentine in the 50's with their Junior Bok side on three months development tours. And they didn't do it to cultivare players for the Boks. Regarding Africa you are not taking into account that South Africa itself is an emerging nation. The rugby union has prioritised the development of rugby in South African rural communities with outstanding success.

It has taken 15 years to build the participation of rugby both in playing and watching. For South Africa on its own to build a viable international rugby competition in africa will take generations - not decades. New Zealanders seem to resent the fact that SA has doubled the income of the URC since their inclusion. If New Zealand Rugby hadn't insisted on have a disproportionate slice of the pie in Super Rugby, SA might not have fled the coop.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

I think this debate is avoiding the elephant in the room. Money. According to the URC chief executive Martin Anayi, the inclusion of SA teams has doubled the income of the URC. There is no doubt that the SA teams benefit from the URC but so do the other countries' teams. Perhaps it doesn't affect a club like Leinster but the less well off clubs benefit hugely from South African games' TV income. I don't think SA continued inclusion in the URC is a slam dunk. They don't hold all the cards by a long way - but they do have an ace in the hole. The Ace of Diamonds.

156 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

How Wallace Sititi humbly reacted to All Blacks Player of the Year honour