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December 17, 2024 9 mins

A return to a Kiwi Christmas of sorts for new Crusader James O'Connor.

The former Wallabies playmaker has called Christchurch home for a month since his Super Rugby move from the Queensland Reds.

O'Connor's parents are from Rotorua and Cambridge - he grew up in Te Atatu in Auckland's west before moving across the ditch.

O'Connor says he's looking forward to a bit of down time at a well known Canterbury holiday spot.

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Episode Transcript

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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Duncy Wildergrave
from News Talk Z'B.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
Hey, John, I'm doing very very well. What about yourself
acclimatizing to the funning games in the South is and
now that you are a crusader?

Speaker 3 (00:21):
Yeah, indeed I am.

Speaker 4 (00:22):
We've just finished our second last day of preseason, so
it's been tasty, it's been fast, it's been tough. I'm
sticking in there kiefing up, so I'm really enjoying it.

Speaker 3 (00:34):
And yeah, they've definitely turned leather on. Loving that. I
like that term.

Speaker 2 (00:38):
I think it might turn up more often than not
in sport commentary. Now tasty, that sounds good, So James,
he's Rob Penny been thrashing you guys with a stick.
What's the preseason look like compared to other super clubs
you've been involved with.

Speaker 4 (00:51):
Well, I think like to compare it to Australia, we
have a little bit longer preseason, so we're normally running
off like an eight sort of a ten week whereas
here it's due to the NPC it's a little bit shorter.

Speaker 3 (01:01):
But just because it's shorter doesn't mean it's not as tough.

Speaker 4 (01:04):
We're doing like triple sessions a day and big field
sessions and it's fast, man, the rock speed. I haven't
experienced anything like you do fitness games, but the rock
speed here on fifteen or fifteen is another level.

Speaker 3 (01:16):
So yeah, it's definitely asking a lot of me.

Speaker 2 (01:20):
So you've got a thirty four year old carcass. Is
that a bit beat up at the moment, James.

Speaker 4 (01:25):
No, it's actually it's actually feeling good again. I've been
I've been looked after a while, I'm looking after myself.

Speaker 3 (01:32):
Well, everything's so close.

Speaker 4 (01:34):
Here as well, so I got a top quality sort
of physiostaff. The masusas are out, you know, the gym's
all sorted, recovery center.

Speaker 3 (01:42):
So staying on top of everything and yeah, moving moving well.

Speaker 2 (01:47):
And looking to sneer that team jersey. You've been pretty
upfront about that and when we love a good Australian
front foot forward attitude, it's fantastic. So you think you're
you're trending toward that. You haven't upset too many people
saying I want that jersey.

Speaker 4 (02:02):
Well, I think like everyone wants the jersey they want,
Like I think that's the reality of the sport. If
you're not going for a jersey, then what's the point
of being in the team just going to be a
squad filler and you're not competing, so no one's going
to be getting better. As much as obviously I want
to play, talent doesn't mean I'm going to get it.

Speaker 3 (02:18):
You know, Rivers and Taha.

Speaker 4 (02:19):
Playing pretty well at the moment from what I've seen
in a preseason and there they have good rugby heads
on them.

Speaker 3 (02:25):
So for from my point of view, I want to
be a part of the team.

Speaker 4 (02:29):
I want to be a part of the squad, and
I have put it out there, but look, there's a
lot of work that needs to be done before any
jersey's are handed out.

Speaker 2 (02:37):
As far as the work you're going to do with
those two youngest guys coming through, is that an exciting
prospect A reason why you join the Crusaders to have
a hand in in providing some impetus and some I
suppose mentorship for these younger guys.

Speaker 4 (02:52):
Yeah, that was a huge part of me coming to
the Crusaders was one again, like we said, that's sort
of the stage of my career I'm in.

Speaker 3 (03:00):
As much as I want to be playing, the.

Speaker 4 (03:02):
Reality is will I be able to do that and
a big part of me and I spent a lot
of time sort of this year when I was injured,
not so much mentoring, but I guess sharing my knowledge
with the younger tens and younger.

Speaker 3 (03:14):
Sort of ball players at the Reds.

Speaker 4 (03:16):
And through sort of Queensland Rugby, and I guess that
excites me.

Speaker 3 (03:20):
I enjoy teaching.

Speaker 4 (03:21):
I enjoy sharing the knowledge like I was sort of
given when I moved overseas and when I played with
some of the great players in rugby. So yeah, I've
sort of that's that part of the career I'm in.
And I do want to compete. I want to keep competing.
At the same time, I love like the camaraderie you
build when you've you know, you can share knowledge between

(03:41):
each each of the players as well, Like the game
continually evolves, so there's parts of the game that I
would see more and how I've played probably you know,
I've played quite a few more games in both of them.
But at the same time, you know, they're probably more
up to upbeat and they've seen, like the game evolve
in their sort of way too, so I'm learning off
them as well.

Speaker 2 (04:01):
Friendships with them, the team playing the important you see camaraderie.
Does that challenge much? Shild des I to grab the
team and see just a wee bit of friction in there, James.

Speaker 4 (04:11):
I said, I don't see it like that, because coaches
pick the teams. So as a player, you can do
all you can to make yourself better. But at the
end of the day, like I'm like, without saying it
too much, I'm here for the experience and I'm here
like to be a part of a team that's going
to go deep into the finals. And I believe I
came here for that reason because I believe in what

(04:33):
the Crusaders can do. I believe in this squad, and
I believe in these coaches. So from my point of view,
it'll be pretty telling like who's in what position. So
like that's why I mean, it's exciting for me because
I just genuinely don't know. I know I can play
a certain role and I know what my skill set is,
but at the end of the day as well, I
am Finally it is different over here, the speed of ball,

(04:54):
Like I told you, the looks are different, the shapes different.
So I'm just haid to enjoying myself compete teach a
little bit, learn a little bit, and then just you know,
be with my feet out as I keep hearing over here,
be present and just enjoy it.

Speaker 3 (05:08):
Being with your feet out.

Speaker 2 (05:09):
James O'Connor a lot of work in front of the
Crusaders after being pretty much unbeatable, completely dominant for years
and years and years, stumbled last season, didn't get to
the playoffs. A huge amount of pressure on Rob Penny,
the coaching staff and the players. It's part of that
encouraging you, was part of that challenge, something that you
really wanted to do at the stage in your career.

Speaker 4 (05:31):
Well, I don't think i'd be here if this year
didn't happen, you know that. I think that sort of
opened the door for me to be able to come.
And I have played This is my nineteenth season now,
so I have played quite a bit of Super rugby.
I probably played twelve seasons of Super ugby in my time.
So from that sort of point of view, I do
know the game quite well.

Speaker 3 (05:50):
I understand it quite well.

Speaker 4 (05:51):
I understand how I guess the Australian teams play and
the Kiwi teams play. So whether that is just sort
of more a mentoring role and helping shape the attack
and you know the game plans week to week or
whether I'll be involved in helping run those game plans
and you know, march boys around the field. You know,
time will tell, but it is it is very exciting
for me and one to just as an Aussie with

(06:12):
Kiwi parents to be able to take a peek behind
the window and see, you know, a club that's had
so much success and to just be a part of
it and feel it. And you know, I've got ambitions
of going into coaching, so yeah, I'm really enjoying it.

Speaker 3 (06:25):
It's it's definitely different.

Speaker 2 (06:26):
So they're aware of that. So they're aware of that
you are going to lean into that coaching side and
this is part of your signature that you intend to
I suppose start looking toward that. They're all cool with that.

Speaker 3 (06:37):
Do you mean stealing New Zealand's knowledge?

Speaker 2 (06:39):
No, no, no, no about about leaning with Rob Penny
and helping out in a coaching manner.

Speaker 4 (06:47):
Again, it's not like I'm not I'm not coaching here
at like, but at the same time, when you're a
ball player, you're I guess you're helping the coaches deliver
the game plan on the field, So I'm the eyes
and ears for the coaches out there, so they will.

Speaker 3 (07:00):
Deliver the game plan.

Speaker 4 (07:01):
As much as I'd like to be a part of that,
I don't know what that's going to look like because
we're not at that part of the season.

Speaker 3 (07:06):
But you'll have a game plan you're working out.

Speaker 4 (07:08):
Together, usually with your leadership group or your game callers,
and then our job is sort of tens and ball players,
is to deliver what the coaches have seen and then
adapt it on the go things aren't working, So yeah,
I do have I have been coaching for a couple
of years now at lower levels obviously, and I've been
I guess running teams for the last sort of ten years.
So that was part of the reason to come over

(07:31):
here was me being able to, you know, get the
eyes behind that and experience, and also then to be
able to rely on someone who's I guess done it
a few times before as well.

Speaker 2 (07:40):
James, I kind of joining us. You played for the
Wallabies for a number of years. What twenty twenty two
the last time you put on the goal? Do you
harbor any aspirations of doing it again?

Speaker 3 (07:50):
If I got asked, I definitely wouldn't.

Speaker 2 (07:51):
Say that exciting that much fun.

Speaker 4 (07:54):
Uh, yeah, for sure, it's always it's always incredible to
be able to play for your country, especially when from
my point of view, I feel like I still have
I didn't give the best version of myself.

Speaker 3 (08:06):
Again, time will tell.

Speaker 4 (08:07):
We'll see how the season goes, how I'm moving, see
how the body's holding up, and then that's all sort
of down the track for me.

Speaker 3 (08:15):
Right now is again bringing it back to be with
your feet are. I'm just enjoying my life there sitting
into Christchurch. We're in a good little water hole.

Speaker 4 (08:23):
You've got again water every day, so finding the lakes,
finding the rivers, getting to the beach and then just
getting stuck into rugby. And yeah, it's fast, it's tough,
it's everything I was expecting, probably more.

Speaker 2 (08:34):
And James, kind of one last thing and thanks so
much for joining us in your wildest dreams. And you
started playing internationally at eighteen. Do you think you'd never
find yourself in the South of New Zealand playing a
bit of pro rugby.

Speaker 4 (08:47):
You know what, I'd always thought about it, put it
that way, but to be a reality is a very
different thing. So I've always wanted to experience what it
was like to play in New Zealand.

Speaker 3 (08:59):
So we'll leave that at that, and on that.

Speaker 2 (09:01):
We'll let you go tasty. Thank you, James O'Connor, looking
forward to seeing you an excell for the Redden Blacks beautiful.

Speaker 3 (09:07):
Appreciate that.

Speaker 1 (09:08):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks.
It'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio
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