Master spy James O"Connor is impressed by England

James O’Connor believes England are “building towards something special” and admits Australia will have their work cut out to beat them at the 2015 World Cup.

England meet Wales at Twickenham next Sunday and London Irish’s gifted Wallaby playmaker has been running the rule over both of Australia’s World Cup pool opponents during his six-month Premiership sojourn.

And after witnessing England’s titanic victory over Ireland at first hand, O’Connor believes that Stuart Lancaster’s side can land a huge psychological blow.

“While it took a while for both sides to ease into it, the second half really opened up,” O’Connor told The Rugby Paper. “Mike Brown is a handy player and the way he attacks the ball from back plays is really exciting. That second half was right up there in terms of intensity.

“England have a good team, and they’re young, so they’re building towards something special. When they get Manu Tuilagi back – and they probably need a gain-line player – it’s going to really open up their backline.

“The new wingers, Jack Nowell and Jonny May, are exciting and once Marland Yarde is back, that will make them even stronger.

“I’d like to see England’s wingers coming off their wings a bit more and Marland always wants to create something. But once this England team get a few more games together they’re going to be a force to be reckoned with.

“They’ve always got a good pack and kicking game, so if they can just get those little tweaks right in attack they’ll do really well.

“I reckon that tough win over Ireland will help them get over Wales. Their second half was pretty flawless.

“England are building nicely for the World Cup and with Wales being in there as well, we’ve got a tough Pool next year, that’s for sure.”

O’Connor’s dream is to help Australia lift the Webb Ellis Cup at Twickenham. But to do that he must be playing Super Rugby in Australia – something he intends doing after another short stint with Toulon later this year.

He admits standing down from the Wallabies to ply his trade in Europe carries risk, but is confident he will return a better player and person after a series of off-field misdemeanours last summer.

O’Connor, 23, incredibly with 44 caps to his name, said: “My goal is to play for Australia and a World Cup is the pinnacle. There’s the Lions and the World Cup and if you win one of them during your career you’ll be satisfied.

“I took a risk coming here but it’s something I needed to do to refresh myself. I’d been lucky to experience six years of Super Rugby and five of Test rugby and I wouldn’t change it, but last year was tough personally so to come here and experience a different lifestyle and rugby has been a breath of fresh air.

“London Irish have provided a positive environment and part of the reason I’m enjoying it is that the Premiership is a lot closer to Test Rugby than Super Rugby in style.

“Super Rugby is very fast paced and attack-orientated, but up here, whilst it’s still fast, there’s more emphasis on defence and field position and kicking duels are key.

“There’s no room for error in the Premiership, and Test rugby is a step up again, so I’m learning from being here.

“The plan beyond Toulon isn’t mapped out but I’ll have to play a full Super Rugby season to be eligible for the Wallabies. Toulon have been accommodating in that respect, though, and if it’s going to happen, it will.

“If I’m playing good rugby, enjoying myself and doing the right things away from the field, it’ll work itself out. I’m learning from my mistakes.”

Positionally, O’Connor admits he is in limbo. At Irish he is playing full-back, but Israel Folau has started the Super Rugby season at the Waratahs on fire, while at Toulon he will compete against Delon Armitage and Lions hero Leigh Halfpenny.

Quade Cooper is back in favour as Australia’s No.10, while Kurtley Beale, Christian Leali’ifano, and Matt Toomua are competing strongly for the remaining playmaking berths. So does O’Connor fear he might become a Wallaby version of Welsh star James Hook and be damned by his sheer versatility?

“It’s an interesting point,” he said. “I’m happy playing at 15 and enjoy that, but against Leicester last weekend I slotted in at 10, 12 and 13 at certain times so the bigger the skill-set you have, the better.

“When I go back to Australia, I’ll be open to playing anywhere. It’s about getting back into the Wallabies team and doing my job, so I’ll discuss that with the coaches.

“Toulon will be a tough team to get into with guys like Armitage, Halfpenny, Jonny Wilkinson and Matt Giteau around, but I’ll be playing with the best of the best and the competition for places is going to be good.

“They’ve got a great winning culture at Toulon, being Heineken Cup champions, so if I can improve my game by another five or ten per cent and take that back to Australia, it’s only going to put me in a better position.”

Instead of Australia fearing England and Wales at next year’s World Cup, perhaps it is they who should fear the knowledge O’Connor will impart to the Wallabies once his European adventure ends.

In many ways, O’Connor is on a one-man spying mission. “I’m building quite a base of knowledge,” he adds. “I see it as a strength of mine to know an opposing player’s game – how they step, carry, kick and their go-to plays.

“To be playing in a new league like the Premiership is brilliant and it will be the same in France. The more knowledge I have the better and it’s aimed at one thing – getting back in that Wallabies team for the World Cup.”

Australia’s secret weapon? You had better believe it.

NEALE HARVEY

Tagged England, James O’Connor, London Irish

Article source: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/rugby-league-player-keith-masons-5134632

Master spy James O"Connor is impressed by England