James O'Connor 2011 Wallaby season

[François]

Hi all,

Some of you might remember that a few months ago I posted a compilation of JOC (James O'Connor)'s Super Rugby campaign. It has now 15K views on youtube and the feedback was pretty good so I thought I'd be thorough and put together a similar vid for his Wallaby season. Now, I swear, this is the last time he gets all the love and if I do any more rugby vids next year I'll try to feature another player, perhaps Beale, Ioane or a back-from-the-dead Quade Cooper, depending on what's interesting. Or perhaps a dual Beale / O'Connor highlights from their season together at the Rebels ? We'll see.

Anyway, 2011 was all about James O'Connor in terms of my trying out to put together rugby highlights. And this video right here is the final chapter.

I think one of the obvious interest of this vid is to show that although he was a very decent outside back to say the least, he really benefits from the higher number of touches as an inside back. He has now all the skill set and experience required to settle there in the long run, as his last 2 games wearing number 10 have proven. He is in the mould of Cooper in terms of elusiveness in traffic but he also offers a very solid defense and good strength in contact, making him perhaps more versatile. Plus if there was a "choking" stat somewhere, his would be one of lowest out there (not that Cooper is a choker, mind you!). On the downside he doesn't have Cooper's passing game. They could balance each other out really well, I think.

Either way, wearing 10 or 12 with barnes / Cooper alongside him seems like the way to go from now, and 2011 was probably his last year as a winger for the Wallabies.


Hope you enjoy it,

Cheers

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Great compilation.
I didn't get the same message from it that you did: half of the stuff he did when wearing 10 was stuff he would/could have done from wider out and his running with a bit more space is devastating.
He is so good, however, that he can play anywhere and look good if not great.
Perhaps we could give him a letter instead of a number and let him play where the mood takes him.
Great work!

 

[François]

Perhaps we could give him a letter instead of a number and let him play where the mood takes him.
Great work!

Or a better yet, a set of letters: "JOC (James O'Connor)". It would be his own special position, taylor made, which would consist in playing first or second 5/8 for set piece moves, and shifting to outside back for counter attacking opportunities during defensive phases... Oh wait.. this position already exists. It's called the "QC (Quade Cooper)".

 

[Schadenfreude]

I actually like that option - a while ago that was how we were supposed to coach.

Apart from the fact is confuses defences, it encourages faster delivery if the backs don't have to line up before getting the ball.

 

[Bruwheresmycar]

That video is awesome. Thanks for taking the time to make it.

JOC (James O'Connor) made a good outside back, but as the video progresses you can see why he has the potential to be a world class 10 or 12. It's a good dilemma to have I suppose, not many players have such versatility.

If anything there were a few too many replays. They are good for tries/try assists, but for stuff like offloads sometimes it can drag on. But a great video (with good music) none the less.