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Bret Harris and Wayne Smith | May 12, 2009
Article from: The Australian
WALLABIES coach Robbie Deans is reconsidering sending teenage sensation James O'Connor to Japan next month for the under-20 World Cup and may instead include him in the 30-man national squad.
Deans has encouraged Australia's rising stars such as O'Connor, Kurtley Beale and Rob Horne to play in the World Cup to gain experience in international tournament-style competition.
But O'Connor, who toured Hong Kong and Europe with the Wallabies late last year, has been in such outstanding form for the Western Force in the Super 14 that Deans is now thinking he should include him in the squad for the June in-bound matches with the Barbarians, France and Italy.
O'Connor is also carrying a shoulder injury and he would have more time to recover if he stayed in Australia with the Wallabies rather than playing a major role with the under-20s in Japan.
"We will be looking at that over the next couple of weeks," Deans said at the launch of the Test ticket sales in Sydney yesterday. "He (O'Connor) has been going well."
Deans said he would pull the 18-year-old O'Connor out of the trip to Japan only if the tyro was considered a starter for the Test team.
"There is no way we would contemplate that in order to have one of those blokes (under-20s) polish the bench or to sit from 22 to 30 or not make the squad at all because the experience they'd get is too valuable," Deans said.
It would not surprise to see O'Connor start at fullback for Australia against the Barbarians in Sydney on June 6.
After coming off the bench against Italy in Padua last November in his sole Test appearance, O'Connor started at fullback in the Wallabies' courageous win against the Barbarians at Wembley to finish the tour.
Deans indicated fullback was wide open, with none of the leading contenders - Adam Ashley-Cooper, Drew Mitchell and Lachie Turner - displaying the complete game for the position.
"Clearly, we have a number of players who are able to play fullback, but it is crying out for someone to make it their own," Deans said.
O'Connor could also secure a place on the bench with his ability to play five-eighth, inside centre and fullback.
There was unlikely to be a lot of new faces in the Wallabies squad, but some established players were in danger of missing out.
But one of those does not appear to be Wallabies captain and outside centre Stirling Mortlock, who had been the subject of criticism prior to his blockbusting display for the Brumbies against the Blues last Saturday.
Even though Deans stressed that no player was guaranteed selection, in all likelihood Mortlock will remain Wallabies captain and outside centre, at least for the in-bound Tests.
"Stirling has shown through Super rugby again that he is still a player who has a presence and an ability to impact on a game, as recently as last weekend," Deans said.
"His acts were the pivotal acts in the game that turned the momentum, but most importantly what was evident most of all was his desire. He still wants to make a difference as opposed to just make up the numbers. That's a critical quality with any player."
Deans was also impressed with rugby league convert Timana Tahu's recent form at outside centre for NSW.
"Timana has obviously really relished the opportunity he has had and he has obviously offered something to the Waratahs," Deans said. "He has been a point of difference for them as well."
While Deans was still not happy with the depth at halfback and tighthead, Waratahs prop Matt Dunning - who has missed the Super 14 with a snapped Achilles tendon - would not come into the reckoning for the first squad, even though he was expected to resume Sydney club football for Eastwood on Saturday.
"He won't be considered until he has played," Deans said. "He will need to play a significant amount of rugby before he is contemplated for a Test match."
The Force's new Kiwi prop Tim Fairbrother would add depth to the frontrow stocks, but he would not be considered for Wallabies selection until he had played in Australia.
Strategically, the Wallabies will continue to develop a game in which they "threaten the whole park", but there were qualities they needed to add to their game.
One of the main issues from last year's Tri Nations tournament was the Wallabies' inability to close out games, particularly against the All Blacks.
"We are going to have to go the distance," Deans said. "We put ourselves in contention, close to getting some outcomes that we would have enjoyed, but ultimately came up short.
"Whether they be physical or mental doesn't really matter, we are going to have to be deserving for longer than we were last year.
"It's about ... being able to impose yourself for longer over your opponent."
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...015651,00.html
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