Wallabies Announce Squad- O'Connor in

[GIGS20]

He played Flyhalf for our under nines this year........better than Cooper, and more ready for international football!

[robyn <3]

i am so stoked for james!! im grinning in the middle of business, which is amazingly abnormal, noticed by my teacher
im so proud of him!! i remember at the brumbies game i asked him if he was gonna be a wallabies or in australia a now and he blushed and said i wish... guess what james! WISHES COME TRUE! im so happy that he got his wish..
congrats to bambam too, very earnt! joc should buy him a drink, if it wasnt for our bambam he wouldnt have made his s14 debut yet!
i cant imagine joc getting too much game time. if they picked him to secure him to aussie rugby then im not too impressed, a test cap is earnt by your current performance, not to keep you. but still, he should get one i hope

NO BEALE

THANKYOU SO MUCH ROBBIE DEANS! MY WISH CAME TRUE TOO

[Swee_82]

Huge congrats for Rabbit and Bam- I'm sure this is the first of many big things to come for the two of them.


And the photo of James and his dog on Perthnow is so cute- I've almost forgiven him for the flouro spray-on shorts episode

[laura]

If James is 18 years and 80 days and Brian Ford was 18 years and 90 days, does that not make James the youngest ever player? ED: not unless he plays within the next 10 days

While he is the youngest, Pocock has had a pretty impressive year too, with the under 20's captaincy and captaining the Force's development tour.This makes his 3rd tour to the UK, this year, and I think thats worth a mention too.

Congrats to all the other Force boys who got back in to the squad Sharpie, Brownie, Crossy, Gits & Drew.

[Thequeerone]

Congrats to Brownie, Bam Bam and Rabbit - (JOC won't be playing till Deans reckons he has earned it - but it will be worth the wait - Gits reckoned he fluffed on his first Wallabies game so we won't judge if it doesn't go to plan)


Major Kudos to John Mitchell and his team for showing off his finds to us first - really enjoy watching them develop and nearly ready to buy a jersey

[Moses]

A very cynical view. But possibly bang on the money.

Very cynical. And Ben Franks got a kiwi cap on merit too

[jargan83]

Very cynical. And Ben Franks got a kiwi cap on merit too

Is he that Crusaders prop who qualifies for Australia as well? Born in Melbourne i think?
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[NTT]

Congrats to all the Force boys, Sharpie, Gits, Rabbit, Bam Bam, Crossy, Brown Dog and Drew. Pretty good nucleus for the Force for next year.

[Moses]

Is he that Crusaders prop who qualifies for Australia as well? Born in Melbourne i think?
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That's the one, thought he'd been capped but he was only called in as cover vs Samoa... still, sounds like he's next prop in line in NZ, few more tightheads to BaxTAH and he could get the call

[Jehna]

if they picked him to secure him to aussie rugby then im not too impressed, a test cap is earnt by your current performance, not to keep you. but still, he should get one i hope

We have to face facts. It was probably a consideration. But in all seriousness when you look at the amount of players in Australian Super 14 who have the versatility of O'Connor there aren't many to choose from. He really is probably the best option we have. Perhaps not at international standard just yet but you have to pick the best team from the options available. Furthermore, you have to remember that this spring tour is a development tour. Every game played by the wallabies in the next 3 years and every training session is working towards that bigger goal of the World Cup. If O'Connor is going to grow to international standard and start in the 15 at that World Cup then his training and grooming needs to start now whilst he is still young enough to be moulded. It is not necessarily a bad thing throwing a young guy into the deep end so early on. For sure, it is dangerous and it really can be a make or break outcome like Gigs has pointed out. But given the similarities that O'Connor has in both body and mind to Gits, I'd be willing to bet that he can handle anything that is thrown at him, even failure. He will be the type of person who will learn from it rather than allow it to crush his soul. This is how the greats are made. So let the process start for him this spring. With or without game time, with or without an ulteria motive by the ARU and Deans, this is an invaluable opportunity.

While he is the youngest, Pocock has had a pretty impressive year too, with the under 20's captaincy and captaining the Force's development tour.This makes his 3rd tour to the UK, this year, and I think thats worth a mention too.

Of course you would Laura Shorts? Though you're absolutely right. In some ways his selection, along side Brownie is even more exciting because there is real possibility for game time for these guys which is going to be incredible to watch.

[slomo]

good news all round, well done to all included........

[Moses]

We have to face facts. It was probably a consideration. But in all seriousness when you look at the amount of players in Australian Super 14 who have the versatility of O'Connor there aren't many to choose from.

He is versatile because he hasn't made any one position his own, mainly due to the fact he's played a handful of Super 14 matches. Hopefully they're taking him along for the tour and maybe a bench spot against Italy.

Really depends on what spot we're taking him over for, I'd have preferred any number of players as backup to Barnes at 10.

[lara93]

wooooooo
go james!!!!

[zimeric]

Well done Rabbit & Davo!! will this be the first 'former' Zimbabwean to play for the Wallabies? anyone know?
I know we have had three or four South Africans and more than a few South Sea Islanders and even an Argie but I think this is the first Zimbo!!!

[brokendown gunfighter]

as a matter of interest,can someone tell me for how much longer is he contracted to the force
JOC that is