James O'Connor barred from youth side but to play Super 14
James O'Connor barred from youth side but to play Super 14
By Jim Tucker
April 18, 2008 12:00am James O'Connor barred from youth side but to play Super 14 | The Courier-Mail
RUGBY'S ruling body has made the bizarre call that kid dynamo James O'Connor is too young to play for Australia's under-20 side even though he makes his Super 14 debut tonight.
The Gold Coast product is just 17 yet his skills are so sharp that the Western Force will blood him off the bench against Queensland in tonight's showdown at Suncorp Stadium.
His silky handling and socks-down sidestep have armed him for backline battle against hardened professionals like Reds fullback Clinton Schifcofske, who is 15 years his senior.
Incredibly, the International Rugby Board has barred his way to playing with those his own age at the World Under-20 Championships in Wales in June.
Australian Under-20s coach Brian Melrose is fighting the ruling that only players turning 19 or 20 in 2008 are eligible for the code's showpiece under-age tournament.
"If you have the ability to play Super 14 professionally, it's ludicrous that you are an outsider at under-20 level," Melrose said.
"Applications have been made through the Australian Rugby Union and we won't give up but you'd have to say the chances are bleak of getting James cleared."
O'Connor's only worry ahead of tonight's debut chance was getting to the plane on time when the Force flew out of Perth on Wednesday.
So spooked was he by the no-show of his taxi, O'Connor hopped on his pushbike and sped to RugbyWA headquarters so as not to miss the team bus to the airport. Someone's a little excited..go you good thing!
He has no driver's licence but his licence to thrill is well known by the Nudgee College rugby community who will be out in force at Suncorp to cheer him tonight.
His backline cohorts at Nudgee last year, Sam Grasso and Stefano Hunt, are backing up in the First XV again at the famed rugby nursery. That's how young flyhalf-centre O'Connor is.
"James is a kid to watch. It's not a Benji Marshall sidestep he's got but one all his own with his pace and balance," the school's First XV coach Peter Todd said.
Force coach John Mitchell said yesterday he had full confidence that O'Connor was equipped and ready to cover a backline injury.
O'Connor is not overawed by the size difference he will give up – burly Reds skipper James Horwill is a massive 34kg heavier – with his undeveloped 83kg frame.
"I was only up to someone's shoulder in under-12s so it's nothing new," O'Connor quipped.
"I've grown up always being the littlest guy so you have to get stronger and faster to cope with that."
His mottled hair colours have pushed playful teammates into bestowing him with the nickname "Corey" after Melbourne's infamous party liaison officer Corey Delaney.
O'Connor is the target of NRL interest and the Reds themselves want to talk with the kid they let slip away last year when they had the same full list of players in his pet positions. I expect nothing less from the vultures.
