Brendan Gallagher looks at James O’Connor’s challenge.
Stade Felix Mayol or the AJ Bell Stadium? The dazzling Med or misty Manchester? T14 aristocracy or Premiership stalwarts? Those were the choices facing James O’Connor for this season and to the surprise of some he chose Sale, not Toulon where he has spent the last two and a bit years.
Or was it really that much of a surprise? O’Connor might be an occasionally wayward individual but the rugby fires have always burnt fiercely and, at 27, time is running out if he really wants to maximise his very considerable talent.
It’s all relative of course. He already boasts 44 Australian caps in a Test career that ground to a halt in 2013 after a spectacular dismissal from the Wallaby camp and Australian rugby after an alcohol related incident at Perth airport where he was en route to Bali for a short break.
O’Connor played Super Rugby at 17, is the second youngest Wallaby ever at 18, has scored 14 Test tries, played two World Cups, appeared in four positions behind the scrum, won matches against the All Blacks with last minute penalties and generally looked extremely special.
But it could have been so much more. For four years now he has been almost the archetypal young Aussie ‘doing’ Europe, trying to discover himself and Sale could be the last staging post in that process. O’Connor has reached the stage of his rugby career when he needs to be a big fish in a small pond and that is no disrespect to Sale who have big plans under new ownership.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der August 27, 2017-Ausgabe von The Rugby Paper.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der August 27, 2017-Ausgabe von The Rugby Paper.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
Unbeaten Lymm put the Tykes on a leash
LYMM maintained their unbeaten start to the campaign, taking the major scalp of Leeds Tykes and ending the visitors' unblemished start.
Dramatic late win boosts leaders
A LAST-minute converted try saw Tonbridge Juddians snatch victory from the jaws of defeat at Barnes.
England need to be more consistent
I WAS at last week's game against the All Blacks and as much as I enjoyed my first visit to the stadium since the Six Nations, I couldn't help noticing a different attitude of those in control of the stadium's notification system which puts out messages to the crowd.
Cuthbert: Wales have to deliver
ALEX Cuthbert says the pressure on Wales is huge ahead of their opening Autumn Nations Series game against Fiji today.
Anyanwu heads the list of star attractions
TOP 14 transfer speculation is always thoroughly entertaining, and this season has so far been no exception.
Goldthorp can challenge Kildunne for No.15 spot
LOUGHBOROUGH Lightning head coach Nathan Smith is backing Fran Goldthorp to compete with Ellie Kildunne, right, for England's No.15 jersey.
Four-try David calls the shots for Bears
MILLIE David helped Bristol blow Leicester away after scoring four of their 10 tries at Welford Road.
Scott-Young keen to follow his father
TYPICAL of most Australians, Scott-Young Angus has fairly sunny disposition and the loose forward is confident that Saints can soon start to turn things around on the road.
When value for money is not part of the deal
ENGLAND'S bench strategy against New Zealand - goodbye \"bomb squad\", hello \"squib squad\"-has been investigated, psychoanalysed, convicted on all charges and mercilessly sentenced by the entire rugby world and its maiden aunt, so there is no earthly point in returning to the scene of the crime.
'I want to prove my worth to Bath'
OUT-OF-FAVOUR winger RuBath aridh McConnochie is hoping to use the Premiership Cup to lay down a challenge to Johann van Graan and make his selection claims impossible to ignore.
