O'Connor in doubt for Brumbies clash

[PerthGirl]

Mortlock's still a great player. He always gives 100% for the Brumbies and the Wallabies. J O'C is still an unproven kid at the moment. Although he looks the goods I don't think we should be putting to much pressure on him at the moment

[mudskipper]

Mortlock, Example The Stomp 2a:

And Giteau Cheers him on while Mortlock Stomps on the English 10 and 12

[James]

Mortlock can't even get away when his tackler is sitting on the ground!

[mudskipper]

Mortlock can't even get away when his tackler is sitting on the ground!

Put JOC on the field against Mortlock just make sure his mother gets some nice pictures of him while he still got his boyish looks....

[Bondiflyer]

Muddy - cruel but very funny.

I've seen Mortlock recently. He's looking injury free and very, very fit and strong.

I reckon JOC would develop a good step (sideways) if faced with a rampaging Mortlock.

But give the kid time. He's tough and will be dishing it out in a few years.

[mudskipper]

John mitchell shouldn't play JOC against Mortlock it would be road kill... He should put Staniforth in to do a man job... i don't want to see the kid get smashed...

[mudskipper]

yep... i saw Mortlock on the Sunday he looked relaxed, younger and fitter than I've seen him in years...

[Bondiflyer]

Agree, the Force will need some muscle around 10/12 . Whilst JOC and Gits would be wonderful together, the Brums would target them.

Staniforth would work well. He's very under rates. Reminds me a lot of Nathan Grey. A similar pass too.

[sandgroperrugby]

Did you see Spanner pacing around at the game on Friday? He may say that he wants to take it easy and come back slowly but his body language says something completely different. Hopefully he does take it easy because I want to see him on the park for the rest of the year and not recovering from a knee injury again. He is a great player for the force.

[laura]

He was like a kid at christmas out there. He hadn't played for 9 months, so fair chance he would have been chomping at the bit to have a run.
He is an under-rated player but I don't want to see him get injured because he came back too soon. Start him from the bench or put him on as starting 12 but bring him off at the first sign of being buggered, we need him for the NZ tour.

[TommyM]

O'Connor fronted up against Nonu last season and was all over him (bar getting absolutely smashed in one tackle). I wouldn't cotton-wool him against Mortlock. Though I'd agree with others that he should be moved to 10 at the earliest opportunity (if that's where they want hime next year- otherwise I think a Daruda-O'Connor 10/12 combination would be outstanding.