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O’Connor to become the everywhere man
30th January 2009, 9:00 WST
Expect to see Wallabies whiz-kid James O’Connor at fly-half, inside centre, full-back and all the way back in the grandstand at Western Force matches this season.
Force coach John Mitchell revealed yesterday he intends to expose O’Connor to a variety of positions during Super 14 without burning him out mentally or physically.
“He’s extremely versatile but you have to remember he’s only 18, so there’s no use playing him in the front line the whole competition,” Mitchell said.
“We’re going to have to manage him carefully. He’ll start some games, be on the bench in others and maybe not play in some at all.
“Having said that, it’s nice to have a player who is so versatile because it gives us so many options.”
Depending on need, Force followers might on occasion see O’Connor at fly-half and Matt Giteau revert to inside centre.
O’Connor played only four Super 14 matches last season, three as a starter, before being called up for the Wallabies’ end-of-year tour of Europe.
National coach Robbie Deans used the tour to blood several up-andcoming players. In O’Connor’s case, being sent on to the field near the end of the Test against Italy at Padua had the added benefit of forever tying him to Australia and disqualifying him from representing New Zealand or South Africa, for whom he was also eligible.
Other than O’Connor, Mitchell does not expect any startling emergences this season.
“For the first time, we’ve got a lot of continuity and stability this year,” he said. “It’s unlikely any surprises will come through.”
The Force will enter the new season with a full complement of backs, but Mitchell knows injuries will take their toll because a competition as intense and far-flung as Super 14 allows minimal chance for recovery.
Considerable depth of the backs division would enable him to spread the load. “It’s going to be horses for courses,” he said when asked if he had a starting line-up in mind.
The Force have their final pre-season match against the Queensland Reds at Ballymore next Thursday night. The curtain-raiser will pit the RugbyWA Academy squad against the Reds Academy.
Super 14 starts on February 13 when the Force host Auckland at Subiaco Oval.
• The Wallabies will feel the pinch of the global financial crisis after the Australian Rugby Union announced a cut to Test match fees.
Players were expecting to receive $12,374 a Test but have agreed to $11,500, according to the Rugby Union Players Association.
DAVE HUGHES
http://www.thewest.com.au:80/default...ntentID=121958