O'Connor: I have earned my spot

[travelling_gerry]

Josh Rakic | October 25, 2009


''I DESERVE to be here.''

They're the confident words of Wallabies young gun James O'Connor who admitted his shock selection for last year's spring tour left even him wondering if he was worthy of the honour.

But as the 19-year-old prepares for his second European tour, O'Connor said he finally felt comfortable wearing the ''high-profile'' rugby star tag.

''Last year going into the tour I was just stoked to be there and I wanted to learn as much as I could from the guys and soak up what it's like to be in that professional environment,'' O'Connor said.

''I had to learn to step up. I think I did learn a lot and I took it back to Super 14 this year and I feel like I deserve to be in this team now.

''The excitement is still there for me with the whole grand slam prestige, but I feel like I'm more in the team now and I have earned my spot. I want to make the starting team every week but I'm beginning to get more involved as a full-time member of the squad and I'm enjoying that aspect of it.

''It's a good feeling for myself and I still can't really describe how much it means to me to be playing for the Wallabies.

''I definitely wasn't prepared for this after school but I'm loving every minute of it.''
Maybe not every minute. The livewire fullback said Wallabies coach Robbie Deans's training regimen over the past month has boarded on torture.

''The training has been pretty intense,'' he said. ''The last few weeks have definitely been the hardest training sessions I've ever been involved with.

''I have never trained this hard before. All the boys said this is what pre-season is like, but I haven't really been involved in one yet. If I do I'm not looking forward to it, that's for sure.

''It's good but we're pretty conditioned at the moment, so we're raring to go in Tokyo.''

As expected, O'Connor played down the internal rifts at Camp Wallaby, but said players had taken heed of criticism towards their ''boring'' style of play as they prepared for their fourth Bledisloe Cup encounter in Tokyo next Saturday.

''It's definitely been a tough couple of weeks. But as a team, the controversy off the field hasn't affected us at all, I don't think. We're a tight group of guys and we're focusing on improving ourselves,'' he said.

''At training we've been doing a lot of backs plays and I think the way we're going to be playing it, if we can set it up right, should be all positive - especially for the supporters. It should be good rugby to watch.

''With the calibre of players in our back line we're definitely keen to get them involved a bit more. It'd be awesome to see the back line in full movement, that's for sure.

''But our focus is on playing our own game. To get one back against the Kiwis is definitely a reachable goal, though.

''I think definitely the Bledisloe Cup and Tri Nations losses to the Kiwis were pretty tough on us. But we've learned a lot from that and going into this next challenge I think we'll be right to go.''

http://www.rugbyheaven.com.au/news/n...147922793.html

[chook]

He should be ok after getting stuck under a few NH rucks. Too good looking by half.

[brokendown gunfighter]

He should be ok after getting stuck under a few NH rucks. Too good looking by half.

"rucks" you have to be joking
no such things these days-bring back the old rules

[The InnFORCEr]

Hey bookies, any odds on JOC repeating Ella's 84 Grand Slam record of a try in each test???

[travelling_gerry]

Sounds like a novel one...

maybe a series of players?

[The InnFORCEr]

I guess Gits, Barnes, Cross and Digby have a chance...not to mention Dunning

[GIGS20]

Dunning should have a book of his own for field goals in each test.

Odds of about 5:1 to start, 7.5:1 for kicking a droppy!

[zimeric]

im sorry but is it just me that puts Dunny & long drop together?

[GIGS20]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

That makes it even better Zim!

[travelling_gerry]

toilet humour......

and I thought the viagra in beer thread was bad...

[chook]

"rucks" you have to be joking
no such things these days-bring back the old rules

There has to be a chance of him getting stomped in some sub zero game versus Ireland played in sleet and a howling gale? The wind chill alone will cause som degradation of his appearance. Can we get a book on that?

[brokendown gunfighter]

There has to be a chance of him getting stomped in some sub zero game versus Ireland played in sleet and a howling gale? The wind chill alone will cause som degradation of his appearance. Can we get a book on that?

former All Black fullback Alan Hewson had a similar build,he actually got hypothermia after a test match at Wellington's Athletic Park!

[Sheikh]

Hypothermia's not that uncommon when you're playing in Scotland in a blizzard/sleet/hail. Isn't that the reason NH rugby is based on forward play - the scrums, rucks and mauls help keep you warm.

[James]

There has to be a chance of him getting stomped in some sub zero game versus Ireland played in sleet and a howling gale? The wind chill alone will cause som degradation of his appearance. Can we get a book on that?

There already is one. It's called the Taming of the Shrew.

[chook]

Hypothermia's not that uncommon when you're playing in Scotland in a blizzard/sleet/hail. Isn't that the reason NH rugby is based on forward play - the scrums, rucks and mauls help keep you warm.

Well, apparently there are no rucks and mauls anymore. A ball kicked into the face on a really really cold day would sting but may not cause permanent de-girlyfying of this young squab.