James O'Connor (rugby)
Encyclopedia
James O'Connor is an Australian international rugby union
footballer. He made his Wallabies
debut in 2008. In the Super Rugby competition he played from 2008 to 2011 with Western Force
, and subsequently signed to the Melbourne Rebels
for the 2012 season.
n debut in 2008, when he came off the bench as replacement fullback (No.15) against Italy
.
. This, along with his Australian birth, means he is eligible for all three Tri Nations teams. As a child he lived in Auckland for five years before he and his family moved to Australia.
In Brisbane he became a boarder at Nudgee College
In 2006, O'Connor was lucky to live after his spleen ruptured.
He was part of the Australian Schools representative team that played against England, Samoa and New Zealand in 2007, and an Australian Sevens representative in 2008.
against the Queensland Reds
in Week 10 of the 2008 Super 14 competition
. He completed the season's final three matches running on at inside centre.
In 2008, during his Australian debut, O'Connor scored three tries and helped Australia beat Italy 31–8. In October 2009 O'Connor "took home the Emirates Western Force 2009 ‘Rookie of the Year’ award and was also named the Wallabies ‘Rookie of the Year’ at the 2009 John Eales Medal dinner."
In 2010 O'Connor played "11 of the 13 Western Force games and recorded 104 points." He also played 13 of Australia's 15 Tests, and was the 2010 Tri Nations Series
' top try scorer together with Mils Muliaina
.
At the end of the 2011 Super Rugby season O'Connor signed a two year contract with the Melbourne Rebels
. His Rebel teammates will include Waratahs
fullback Kurtley Beale
, Western Force centre Mitch Inman, and 2011 Rebels Danny Cipriani
, Nick Phipps
, and Richard Kingi
.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
footballer. He made his Wallabies
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
debut in 2008. In the Super Rugby competition he played from 2008 to 2011 with Western Force
Western Force
Western Force is a rugby union team based in Perth, Western Australia playing in the international Super Rugby competition. They first competed in the 2006 season and finished with the wooden spoon in that year, however their performances greatly improved in 2007. In 2008 they finished in 8th...
, and subsequently signed to the Melbourne Rebels
Melbourne Rebels
The Melbourne Rebels are a professional rugby union team based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. They made their debut in SANZAR's Super Rugby tournament in 2011. They are the first privately owned professional rugby union team in Australia...
for the 2012 season.
Biography
O'Connor is a versatile 'utility'. He said, "I feel more comfortable at 12 as a second ball player. I also like 15. You definitely get a lot of space. I just want to get on the field whether it is 10, 12 or 15." He made his AustraliaAustralia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
n debut in 2008, when he came off the bench as replacement fullback (No.15) against Italy
Italy national rugby union team
The Italy national rugby union team represent the nation of Italy in the sport of rugby union. The team is also known as the Azzurri . Italy have been playing international rugby since the late 1920s, and since 2000 compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland,...
.
Early life
O'Connor's parents are from New Zealand, and his grandparents from South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. This, along with his Australian birth, means he is eligible for all three Tri Nations teams. As a child he lived in Auckland for five years before he and his family moved to Australia.
In Brisbane he became a boarder at Nudgee College
In 2006, O'Connor was lucky to live after his spleen ruptured.
He was part of the Australian Schools representative team that played against England, Samoa and New Zealand in 2007, and an Australian Sevens representative in 2008.
Professional career
O'Connor became the youngest ever Super Rugby debutant when he came off the bench for the Western ForceWestern Force
Western Force is a rugby union team based in Perth, Western Australia playing in the international Super Rugby competition. They first competed in the 2006 season and finished with the wooden spoon in that year, however their performances greatly improved in 2007. In 2008 they finished in 8th...
against the Queensland Reds
Queensland Reds
The Queensland Reds represent Queensland in the sport of rugby union in the Southern Hemisphere Super Rugby competition. Prior to 1996 they were a representative team selected on merit from the rugby union club competitions in Queensland...
in Week 10 of the 2008 Super 14 competition
2008 Super 14 season
The 2008 Super 14 season started in February 2008 with pre-season matches held from mid-January. It finished on 31 May, when the Crusaders won their seventh Super Rugby title with a 20–12 victory over the Waratahs in front of the Crusaders' home fans. The 2008 season was the third of the expansion,...
. He completed the season's final three matches running on at inside centre.
In 2008, during his Australian debut, O'Connor scored three tries and helped Australia beat Italy 31–8. In October 2009 O'Connor "took home the Emirates Western Force 2009 ‘Rookie of the Year’ award and was also named the Wallabies ‘Rookie of the Year’ at the 2009 John Eales Medal dinner."
In 2010 O'Connor played "11 of the 13 Western Force games and recorded 104 points." He also played 13 of Australia's 15 Tests, and was the 2010 Tri Nations Series
2010 Tri Nations Series
The 2010 Tri Nations Series is the fifteenth annual Tri Nations rugby union series between the national rugby union teams of New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, respectively nicknamed the All Blacks, Wallabies, and Springboks...
' top try scorer together with Mils Muliaina
Mils Muliaina
Junior Malili Muliaina , better known as Mils Muliaina, is a rugby union player. He plays for the Chiefs in Super Rugby and New Zealand at international level. He was born in Salesi, Samoa, then moved with his family to Invercargill, New Zealand, at the age of two...
.
At the end of the 2011 Super Rugby season O'Connor signed a two year contract with the Melbourne Rebels
Melbourne Rebels
The Melbourne Rebels are a professional rugby union team based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. They made their debut in SANZAR's Super Rugby tournament in 2011. They are the first privately owned professional rugby union team in Australia...
. His Rebel teammates will include Waratahs
New South Wales Waratahs
The New South Wales Waratahs are an Australian rugby union football team, representing the majority of New South Wales in the Super 15 Super Rugby competition...
fullback Kurtley Beale
Kurtley Beale
Kurtley Beale is an Australian representative rugby union player. His primary position is fullback.- Youth :Beale signed to the Waratahs while a 16 year old at St Joseph's College, Hunters Hill. Before leaving school Beale captained the Australian Schoolboys and regularly attended training...
, Western Force centre Mitch Inman, and 2011 Rebels Danny Cipriani
Danny Cipriani
Daniel Jerome Cipriani is an English rugby union footballer. He plays fly-half, centre and fullback. He has played for London Wasps and England. He's currently playing his first season of Super Rugby as a member of the inaugural Melbourne Rebels squad.-Biography:Danny Cipriani is mixed-race, his...
, Nick Phipps
Nicholas Phipps (rugby)
Nick Phipps is a national representative rugby union footballer who currently plays for the Melbourne Rebels in the Super 15 competition.-Super 15:...
, and Richard Kingi
Richard Kingi
Richard Kingi is an Australian professional Rugby union footballer, born in Tauranga, New Zealand. His usual position is half back, though there has been speculation he is fast enough to play on the wing....
.