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.
Bu hikaye The Rugby Paper dergisinin August 27, 2017 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye The Rugby Paper dergisinin August 27, 2017 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Morris hat-trick lifts Steelmen
HOOKER Ieuan Morris came off the bench to settle matters for Ebbw Vale at Carmarthen Quins with his stunning second half hat-trick completing a 39-11 victory in Super Rygbi Cymru.
Joe keen to follow in family footsteps
JOE Ford is leading the charge to take Doncaster Knights to the promised land but says they have a long way to go before that becomes reality.
Robson keen to make it to the top with Coventry
COVENTRY ended the first five-match block of fixtures as the Championship’s only unbeaten side and full-back Charlie Robson has his sights set on promotion, and eventually playing for England.
Hancox joins the 200 club
AFTER 10 years of donning the red, black and yellow shirt for Bournemouth, skipper Grant Hancox made his 200th appearance this month after their Regional 2 South Central clash against Winchester.
Bear keen to be a big hit Down Under
FORMER Cornish Pirates back row Bear Williams has flourished in making the difficult transition from rugby union to league and has plans to play in Australia’s NRL. `
To play in two World Cups was a dream
RUGBY started quite late for me.
Call time on this pantomime ploy
THIS 60-second shot clock twaddle. If we must continue to plough down this blind alley it needs to apply from the moment the referee awards the penalty. If the authorities are going to put some stick about at least do it properly and with conviction.
Coetzee's pulling his weight again
WHETHER he starts or comes off the bench, Jaco Coetzee is just happy to be contributing fully to Bath’s revival after an injury-hit start to his career in blue, black and white.
Murray's on a wing - and a prayer ...
BLAIR Murray began the week ‘in a state of shock’ at having gone from nowhere on one side of the world to the starting grid for the autumn Tests on the other.
We need to kick on after winning at last
Paul Rees talks to Ethan Grayson who heard from two rugby legends after he helped Newcastle end their 25-match losing run
