rugbyAU
Peter Johnson (47)
Article in the Australian:
As the Wallaby team bus pulled up at Dublin’s airport, James O’Connor grabbed his bags and headed left while his teammates went right.
After just seven days with the team, the playmaker had just been told his expertise wasn’t required for the last-gasp match of the Spring Tour against France on Sunday morning (AEDT).
Already deeply unsettled after a brutal loss to Ireland, the team was destabilised by coach Joe Schmidt’s call that insiders say was prompted by the availability of Carter Gordon, whose quad niggle appears to have resolved.
“Rabs (O’Connor) wasn’t going to be selected for the France game, so Joe let him go,” a source close to the team said. “It is no good having him around if he wasn’t going to play.”
He had been on the team bus because his flight out of Dublin heading to the UK was just 15 minutes after the France-bound flight of his teammates, the source said, denying O’Connor found out about his axing when collecting his gear from the bus cargo hold. O’Connor may have been accepting of the decision, but others were shocked. His presence at training had buoyed the players because of his authority in giving onfield instructions and shaping the attack.
Officials refused media requests to talk to O’Connor immediately after the 46-19 defeat to Ireland, saying he would be available later in the week. Increasing tension in the camp in France had the team bunker down and cancel media commitments on Monday. A team official said making no player available on Monday was because of “a schedule shift”. Players were given most of the day off after a day of travel on Sunday.
As the Wallaby team bus pulled up at Dublin’s airport, James O’Connor grabbed his bags and headed left while his teammates went right.
After just seven days with the team, the playmaker had just been told his expertise wasn’t required for the last-gasp match of the Spring Tour against France on Sunday morning (AEDT).
Already deeply unsettled after a brutal loss to Ireland, the team was destabilised by coach Joe Schmidt’s call that insiders say was prompted by the availability of Carter Gordon, whose quad niggle appears to have resolved.
“Rabs (O’Connor) wasn’t going to be selected for the France game, so Joe let him go,” a source close to the team said. “It is no good having him around if he wasn’t going to play.”
He had been on the team bus because his flight out of Dublin heading to the UK was just 15 minutes after the France-bound flight of his teammates, the source said, denying O’Connor found out about his axing when collecting his gear from the bus cargo hold. O’Connor may have been accepting of the decision, but others were shocked. His presence at training had buoyed the players because of his authority in giving onfield instructions and shaping the attack.
Officials refused media requests to talk to O’Connor immediately after the 46-19 defeat to Ireland, saying he would be available later in the week. Increasing tension in the camp in France had the team bunker down and cancel media commitments on Monday. A team official said making no player available on Monday was because of “a schedule shift”. Players were given most of the day off after a day of travel on Sunday.
