O'Connor ready for Mr Fix-It role

[travelling_gerry]

Justin Chadwick, AAP
January 20, 2011, 11:51 am



Star Wallabies winger James O'Connor is taking nothing for granted this Super rugby season as he prepares to play a number of backline roles for the Western Force.

The Force added much-needed depth to their backline over the off-season, with the return to full fitness of Cameron Shepherd an added bonus on top of the recruitment of five-eighth Willie Ripia, utility Alfie Mafi and winger David Smith.

O'Connor is planning to play a role on the wing or at fullback but said he would step in at inside centre or flyhalf if needed.

"For once we've got key players in the 10, 12 role," O'Connor said at training on Thursday.

"There's so many outside backs that have come in.

"David Smith, Cameron Shepherd, Nick Cummins - there's a world-class back three there, so if I'm going to be playing in those spots I'm going to have to earn my keep.

"I guess coming off a Wallabies tour on the wing, that's probably where most people would guess I'll be playing.

"But for me it's wherever I fit into the team.

"I'm pretty comfortable at fullback, especially with two seasons there at the Force, and 12 as well I can slot in there.

"I played two games at 10 last year so I'm pretty comfortable there as well, but for me personally I think 15, wing or 12 will be the go.

"I'm going to be working for my spot this year, that's for sure."

O'Connor hoped his younger brother Jonny, who is on trial at the club, could eventually push for a spot on the team.

"He's living with me now so he's been to bed early every night, I think they're working him pretty hard," James O'Connor said.

"He's a pretty similar player to me.

"I think he's going to be a bit bigger though, so hopefully he can maybe stick to the frontline and leave the backs for me."

Wallabies coach Robbie Deans was an interested onlooker at Force training in Perth on Thursday as part of his visit to all five Australian franchises ahead of the World Cup in New Zealand later this year.

The Force finished a dismal 13th in last year's injury-plagued season but O'Connor said finals were a realistic goal under new coach Richard Graham.

"I think we're definitely going to be in the running for finals," O'Connor said.

"We've got a good enough team.

"It's just going to depend if we can keep our players on the field.

"One third of the team is new so there's a freshness aspect about it."

O'Connor, who went to school in Brisbane, is raising money for the flood relief in Queensland by auctioning off the boots he wore in Australia's 26-24 win over the All Blacks last year, when he kicked the winning conversion.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/spo...r-fix-it-role/

[WA sport fan]

lol he looks just too excited in that pic.

[farva]

Ripia is 10. Who is the key player at 12 if not OConnor?
I really hope he plays 12 as opposed to the outside backs. I think him linking up with Inman is a very balanced and strong centres combo.

[GIGS20]

Ummmm, possibly a bartholomeusz or Fairbanks?

[farva]

Ummmm, possibly a bartholomeusz or Fairbanks?

Fairbanks would probably be who he is talking about. Or Sidey.
Either way, for me, neither are the same class as JOC.

I think if we had a back three of Smith, Cummins and Shepherd. Add to that JOC and Inman in the centres and we have a reasonable backline (providing Cummins and Shep can find form).

[AndyS]

Probably all hinges on whether Shep is up for/up to/around for fullback.

[GIGS20]

Looking at the pattern of last season, I think Shep will be looked at more as a wing than a fullback. That could all change with a good showing in preseason I guess, but that's what seemed to happen last year. With that assumption, I'd think Cummo is likely to be the loser in the back three (assuming Shep maintains his fitness of course) and we'l likely see a back three of Shep, Smith and........a fullback, Bartholomeusz has been used there, so possibly him, but I'd put money on Rabbit grabbing the 15 in that situation. There's also an unknown quantity in Pat Dellit (I think that's the guy) signed from the Shute Shield after scoring a bunch of tries for (I think) woodies. I don't know a lot about the guy, but he's also a candidate.

Long and the short is, it's all a big jigsaw puzzle, and the pieces might change from week to week. It does seem from the press releases though, that Rabbit will bounce around the backline a bit.

If Fairbanks holds up his end of the bargain, I'd go with him at 12, he's a bit more solid and an inside division of Sheehan, Ripia, Fairbanks and Inman would certainly have great defensive potential. Inject rabbit from 14 or 15 regularly and there's plenty of attacking options. Mix that with Shep counterattacking as per usual and Smith providing the afterburners.....all I'm saying is that's a handy looking lot too.

Throw some young guys in the mix (JT, Sidey, Dellit) some experience (Barty, Cummo, Chucky) some Size (Mitch, Cummo) some pace........well you get the message, it think we're finally deep enought to have some confidence in the backline, all it needs now is to 'gel'

[James]

I'm interested to see how someone like Alfie Mafi would go at 12. I don't think JO'C needs to be at 12. He can inject himself into the attack whenever so long as he communicates that to someone like Shep who can drop back in cover. The loss to the Sharks in 2009 hurt because two of their tries were breakdown turnovers where we were hot on attack and no fullback at home. Nothing worse than a try against the run of play. I think that was O'Connor's first game at 15.

I like the idea of all of the backs (O'Connor excepted) having a full pre-season together. We may not have as much depth as say the Tahs or the Reds in the backs but at least they will (hopefully) be reading off the same sheet.

[GIGS20]

True, and you'd have to expect that the song sheet has a large, highlighted stanza which says on attack rabbit is right in the middle of it doing whatever he wants, you guys cover the gap he leaves.

I forgot mafi in my list previously. When fit he looked pretty sharp, if green. With some decent coaching, rather than a bloke who thinks coaching is buying established wallabies he could probably fill a utility role pretty well.