Advertisement
35-year-old playmaker James O’Connor is back in gold, and he’s been dropped straight into the fire. His return to the international stage headlines the Wallabies team, announced on Thursday, as they get set to meet the Springboks at Emirates Airline Park in Johannesburg for their opening match of The Rugby Championship.
Following Tom Lynagh’s withdrawal from the squad due to concussion issues, O’Connor has been handed the starting reins in the No.10 jersey, despite not featuring at all during the Lions Tour. Many assumed it would be Ben Donaldson’s time to step into the lead pivot role against the Boks after coming off the bench against the Lions, but he has been left out of the team completely due to a training injury. Donaldson is yet to cement his place in the Wallabies starting lineup since making his debut in 2022.
O’Connor hasn’t played a minute for the Wallabies this year and has mostly been a bench option for the Crusaders. Now, he’s expected to steer the ship against the world champs at altitude. While Schmidt originally announced a 6-2 split with Nick Champion de Crespigny on the bench, on Thursday he brought in flyhalf Tane Edmed for some much-needed bench cover.
It seems Schmidt values O’Connor’s experience against the world champion Bok side, partnering him with another wily veteran in Nic White. His choice in playmaking pairing is the right one. For all the Wallabies’ talk about building for the future, they need to pick a team that will win.
Schmidt has retained most of the starting lineup from the Wallabies’ last Test, with a team very much designed to match South Africa’s physical presence. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto is still yet to be picked in the team.
It will be a huge opening test for the Wallabies, who will be wanting to capture the Australian sporting audience’s attention after winning back fans with their victory in the final Lions Test. The players themselves will be looking to keep that momentum going and prove above all else that they can match it with the world’s best.
There has been much discussion about the Giteau Law in recent weeks. It should be pointed out that the Giteau Law hasn’t been in effect for some time now, with director of high performance Peter Horne labelling it “redundant” and giving the Wallabies preference to back the next generation plying their trade in Super Rugby. At some point, though, you need to pick your strongest side regardless of club or geographical constraints.
This could be the final full Rugby Championship for a while, with the international rugby landscape set to change when the Nations Championship is introduced in 2026. It could leave the Wallabies out in the cold, with South Africa and New Zealand cosying up for reciprocal tours, leaving their little cousins out of the picture.
Australia Starting XV (1-15) James Slipper, Billy Pollard, Taniela Tupou, Nick Frost, Will Skelton, Tom Hooper, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson, Nic White, James O’Connor, Dylan Pietsch, Len Ikitau, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Max Jorgensen, Tom Wright
Australia Replacements (16-23) Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Angus Bell, Zane Nonggorr, Jeremy Williams, Langi Gleeson, Tate McDermott, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Andrew Kellaway
