Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

O'Connor back in his preferred position as Reds name team for Lions

James O'Connor

James O’Connor will assume chief playmaking duties for Queensland, with incumbent No.10 Isaac Lucas dropped to the Reds’ bench to play the Lions in Johannesburg.

ADVERTISEMENT

Lucas, 20, had shown promise at five-eighth in two Super Rugby pre-season wins and a close round-one loss to the Brumbies.

But he will be used as a finisher against the big-bodied Lions, with O’Connor shifting from inside centre and utility back Hamish Stewart recalled at No.12 for Sunday morning’s clash (12:05am).

Wallabies lock Izack Rodda will also earn his first start of the season after an off-season slowed by minor ankle surgery, while Alex Mafi will begin at hooker with Brandon Paenga-Amosa (ankle) out for up to eight weeks.

Video Spacer

It will be O’Connor’s second start at No.10 for Queensland after calling the shots in his 2015 Reds debut and an ideal platform to push his case for a Wallabies berth in a position that remains up for grabs under new national coach Dave Rennie.

O’Connor played at No.12 in Friday’s loss in Canberra but finished at No.10 as the Reds coughed up a 10-point halftime lead to lose 27-24.

Thorn indicated O’Connor and Lucas might be in and out of the No.10 jersey at different stages of the season in a horses-for-courses approach.

ADVERTISEMENT

“We just want to have a look at him (O’Connor) and we also think Isaac can really bring something in that last 30, 20 minutes as well,” the coach said.

“We’re pleased with both James and Isaac; they’re just playing different roles this week and I’d say you’ll see some stuff this season, sometimes playing different spots there.

“We’re looking forward to James having a shot there and working with Hamish and also what Isaac can bring (off the bench).”

In a brutal three-week road trip to start the season, the Queensland outfit will move on to Argentina the following weekend to play the Jaguares, who thumped the Lions last weekend at home.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Around the world trip; no other sport really does it, let alone a contact sport,” Thorn said.

“So, if you can get a victory on this trip, you can call that a success.”

Queensland: Bryce Hegarty, Jock Campbell, Jordan Petaia, Hamish Stewart, Henry Speight, James O’Connor, Tate McDermott, Harry Wilson, Liam Wright, Angus Scott-Young, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Izack Rodda, Taniela Tupou, Alex Mafi, JP Smith. Res: Sean Farrell, Dane Zander, Josh Nasser, Angus Blyth, Seru Uru, Moses Sorovi, Isaac Lucas, Hunter Paisami.

– AAP

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

B
Bull Shark 5 hours ago
Rassie Erasmus' Boks selection policy is becoming bizarre

To be fair, the only thing that drives engagement on this site is over the top critiques of Southern Hemisphere teams.


Or articles about people on podcasts criticizing southern hemisphere teams.


Articles regarding the Northern Hemisphere tend to be more positive than critical. I guess to also rile up kiwis and Saffers who seem to be the majority of followers in the comments section. There seems to be a whole department dedicated to Ireland’s world ranking news.


Despite being dialled into the Northern edition - I know sweet fokall about what’s going on in France.


And even less than fokall about what’s cutting in Japan - which has a fast growing, increasingly premium League competition emerging.


And let’s not talk about the pacific. Do they even play rugby Down there.


Oh and the Americas. I’ve read more articles about a young, stargazing Welshman’s foray into NFL than I have anything related to either the north and south continents of the Americas.


I will give credit that the women’s game is getting decent airtime. But for the rest and the above; it’s just pathetic coming from a World Rugby website.


Just consider the innovation emerging in Japan with the pedigree of coaches over there.


There’s so much good we could be reading.


Instead it’s unimaginative “critical for the sake of feigning controversial”. Which is lazy, because in order to pull that off all you need to be really good at is:


1. Being a doos;

2. Having an opinion.


No prior experience needed.


Which is not journalism. That’s like all or most of us in the comments section. People like Finn (who I believe is a RP contributor).


Anyway. Hopefully it will get better. The game is growing and the interest in the game is growing. Maybe it will attract more qualified journalists over time.

19 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING 11 All Blacks changes as Robertson names team to take on England 11 All Blacks changes as Robertson names team to take on England
Search