Melbourne eyeing James O'Connor to play pivotal role next year

[Darren]

MELBOURNE Rebels have joined the race to sign Wallabies wunderkind James O'Connor for next year's Super Rugby season.

With English recruit Danny Cipriani likely to return to Europe at the end of the year, the Rebels will need a quality playmaker to direct them around the field.

An informed source told The Australian the Rebels had targeted O'Connor, who is on the brink of superstardom, to be their marquee player.

O'Connor has been a revelation at five-eighth for Western Force this year, although he has been moved to fullback for the match with the NSW Waratahs in Perth tomorrow night.

The Brumbies are also believed to be interested in O'Connor as a replacement for France-bound Wallabies playmaker Matt Giteau.

They made a strong play for O'Connor during his last contract renegotiation and need him more now than they did then.

O'Connor could play five-eighth or inside centre for the Brumbies and still have a major influence on their play. With Giteau and outside back Adam Ashley-Cooper leaving, the Brumbies also need a marquee signing to restore faith in the team.

The Force would be desperate to keep O'Connor who, along with openside flanker David Pocock, is the future of the team.

While O'Connor prefers to play inside centre, it is doubtful his switch to fullback for the Waratahs game would have any bearing on his thinking.

With New Zealander Willie Ripia making his first appearance of the season at five-eighth after recovering from a foot injury, the Waratahs assumed O'Connor would be shifted to inside centre.

But Force coach Richard Graham has rejigged his backline to get his best seven backs on the field, keeping Gene Fairbanks at inside centre and moving Cameron Shepherd from fullback to wing.

The selection of O'Connor at fullback appears to rob the contest of the much-anticipated match-up with Kurtley Beale.

But while Beale will again swap between five-eighth and fullback for NSW, O'Connor is almost certain to do the same. Ripia is capable of playing anywhere in the backline from halfback to fullback, so it would make sense for the Force to continue to utilise O'Connor's special talents at first receiver at different times during the game.

"He gave me a text last night just to see where I was playing and I asked him the same question, but we're good mates off the field and we'll probably catch up and have a coffee," Beale said.

"But when game day comes, I guess we'll see each other out on the field.

"At (Wallabies) training in the last year or so I've always been up against him and I guess he'll be very challenging, but it doesn't really bother me.

"No matter where he plays he's always going to pop up in front of you somehow."

Meanwhile, Waratahs head coach Chris Hickey was confident Beale would reject an offer from the Force to remain with NSW.

"Negotiations are still continuing and I think we are getting close to a resolution and we remain confident that Kurtley will be with the Waratahs next year," Hickey said.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news...-1226035641721

[palitu]

i dont think he would want to be recruited be a specialist 10.

So i would think we have more issues with the brumbies as they would want him at inside centre.

But would like to think he would stay here...

[jargan83]

They made a strong play for O'Connor during his last contract renegotiation and need him more now than they did then.

And we don't need him?

[Tazzmania]

No decent beaches in Melbourne we may have a chnace to keep him

[James]

I wouldn't be too worried about the Brumbies. They are in a bit of a shambles with the whole coaching drama and, with the departure of Giteau, AAC and potentially Elsom, aren't likely to be a top team come next year.

There is more than enough to keep him here.

[blueandblack]

[AndyS]

Wow, there's a news story - and there was me thinking no-one would be interested in a kid like him! I would have thought the bigger news story would be if the Reds were to say they weren't interested, or that the Waratahs haven't managed to get a contract signed with him before the salary cap gets imposed (does anyone else find it odd that they are managing to get all their contracts signed up by the ARU, while everyone else seem to be stalled?).

[shasta]

O'Connor has been a revelation at five-eighth for Western Force this year, although he has been moved to fullback for the match with the NSW Waratahs in Perth tomorrow night. - Brett Harris

Brett Harris the eternal shit dribbler. How ITF do some of these blokes keep their jobs? They are the same people who blew smoke up Giteau's @rse telling him he was the next great 10 - and are now dropping off like flies.

JOC is an absolute star and can play 12-15 with just a bit of a question mark over 13. Who wouldn't want to sign him? But the the only revelation he's made in the 10 shirt is that he's a servicable stand-in when your 5/8 is injured and you don't have a back up speciallist. He may go a bit better at steering them around with quality fit players outside him.

His Dad has proved a great judge in demanding that RugbyWA recruit experienced speciallist 10's for him to play/learn off. Just unlucky for James and the rest of us that that 10 shirt has been cursed - until this week.

[zimeric]

the thing is it is a very real and highly likely assumption that JOC will end up back on the East Coast... I dare say he will bypass Melbourne though...

then again there is always a lot of rhetoric coming from the Press over there and now it seems some of the Forces former players are getting a few words in about how difficult it is for an east coast pup playing in Perth...

its high time we start focussing on our own Stock here in the west! We have plenty of players that can be developed to super rugby level and become stars...

[James]

Some good options, but a lot of those guys are a good two years of being ready as regulars in the Super 15.

[zimeric]

absolutely but untill they get the exposure we'll continue to look for quick fixes from further afield

[Hoolly Doolly]

reds were in a similar situation at one stage. They were forced to just put them out there. Theres always going to be some pain while the young guys develop. Ultimitely theres no better experience then time on the pitch and eventually it will pay off. Im with Zimmer.

[theforceguy]

Some good options, but a lot of those guys are a good two years of being ready as regulars in the Super 15.

There are kids playing in the U/18 comp this year that can kick better then any of the current Force squad and if anybody don't believe me just go down to a Wanneroo or Cottesloe U/18 game. The problem is that some of those second five players are even in the Force academy this year.

[James]

The Force A side got pretty well thumped by the Rebels Rising last weekend. It's fair enough to say that anyone under 18 is a good two years off being ready for Super rugby. James O'Connor may be an exception but he was hidden a lot in his first two years and he is a sensational player.

In other news, apparently Ben McCalman is set to reject a Rebels offer and stay with the Force (just sorting out the nitty gritty of his ARU contract). Since Palu is his main competition it might be sown up sooner rather than later. Great news if true.

[BDAVEY]

JOC u might as well go.....the force is not the place to develop under the current regime. Good luck in your future