O'Connor's position undecided

[travelling_gerry]

O'Connor's position undecided

• Bret Harris
• From: The Australian
• September 13, 2010 12:00AM

NEW Western Force coach Richard Graham is undecided about where to play James O'Connor in the Super 15 next year.


But he has not ruled out using him in his current Test position on the wing.
Graham, who has replaced Force foundation coach John Mitchell, stood down yesterday from his role as Australia assistant coach to focus on his head coaching duties.
O'Connor has played five-eighth, inside centre and fullback for the Force, but he has played on the wing during the Tri-Nations tournament.
Asked whether he would consider O'Connor as a winger, Graham said: "We'll see how he continues to develop on the (Wallabies) tour and depending who we've got fit and available, he could play on the wing definitely.
"If I think that's his best position going forward that will benefit us, he'll play there.


"At the moment his best position is where he is playing. The way the game is at the moment with the team throwing the ball out, there tends to be a lot of space in those outside channels. If you've got a guy who can beat someone as well as he can, why not play him there?
"The one noticeable aspect of his game that he has worked hard on is his distribution. If he can continue to work on that, you'll see him closer to the action."
Graham, who also acted as Mitchell's assistant at the Force, was looking forward to introducing new ideas to the team.
"I'd like to incorporate our forwards into the game a little more."
Graham said his biggest disappointment at leaving the Wallabies was that he thought they were a genuine chance to win the World Cup in New Zealand next year.
"The side is finally starting to believe what they are capable of and that's been evident in the last three games," Graham said.
"It doesn't mean the team is going to go on and perform well on the back of that, but we have seen signs the side is definitely improving."


http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news...-1225919890543

[Hoolly Doolly]

Id like to see JOC and spanner alternating between the wing and inside center during a game.

[James]

That'd work pretty well. He's too good a player to stay out on the wing permanently. Be nice to mix it up between two guys who are difficult to tackle for the opposite reasons.

[farva]

I still think his long term position is IC. In fact, Id be shipping out Giteau now and getting OConnor in at 12 over the November tours. Giteau needs a rest and a Cooper, OConnor, Beale axis would be pretty exciting. Would leak trys like anything, but would score them too!
He was out of position a fair few times over the weekend, and it cost us.

[Sheikh]

I still think his long term position is IC. In fact, Id be shipping out Giteau now and getting OConnor in at 12 over the November tours. Giteau needs a rest and a Cooper, OConnor, Beale axis would be pretty exciting. Would leak trys like anything, but would score them too!
He was out of position a fair few times over the weekend, and it cost us.

You think having O'Connor at 12 would leak more tries than Giteau at 12? I'd say O'Connor is a much better tackler, but is young and getting moved about the back-line, so his positioning on defense can be suspect. If he gets given one role to learn for a season (rather than 3 or 4) I think he'd be a lock-in.

[farva]

I agree, OConnor is a good tackler. Beale has improved but Cooper is rubbish, he still looks to strip the ball in the tackle and goes in far too high. He missed 6 tackles against the Blacks.

But what I was referring to was the fact that all three are still young and are very creative. Meaning that they do things that has everyone else scratching their heads. Often it comes off and looks spectacular. Often it doesn't, and then we are at serious risk of counter attack. And I do tend to think that all three back themselves to get past any defender, which is a good thing if you have support, but they do it when they don't have support and leak turnovers. They are improving and in a few years we wont have that issue.

[GIGS20]

If o'Connor was at 12 Cooper would have the support he needs to not lose the ball.
Giteau seems not to be a communicator on the field and either end up in the wrong position or does stuff which confuses everybody. Cooper does the same, but seems to get away with it.
Can you imagine what O'Connor could do with the space Cooper provides?
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[robyn <3]

Can you imagine what O'Connor could do with the space Cooper provides?

So Giteau can't kick and hasn't run any direction but sideways in years. Listen to the people Robbie Deans.

[Rex Messup]

A.Faingaa is the first Australian IC who runs straight in a decade. Give him the 12 jersey

[welshrugbyfan]

In 2012 he can choose where he wants to play.

I heard Cooper, Gits, Mitchell, Barnes and Beale have signed up for French/Japanese lessons already.

[Rex Messup]

Gits will go to France and buy a pure bred poodle and hang out at the groomers with Henners.

[GIGS20]

Gits will go to France and buy a pure bred poodle and hang out at the groomers with Henners.

so Henners will pick the fights and Gits will hide under the tables?

[Rex Messup]

they will be permanently wasted from goodies acquired in Amsterdam