“I had a few conversations with James during the year, he had a good Super season for the Crusaders and he stayed close, he stayed connected the whole way through,” Schmidt said.
“His experience was something that helped Tom Lynagh here at Suncorp, and with the Reds, and so that experience can potentially help the players again, particularly our young tens as they continue to progress as well.”
O’Connor’s shock return to the Wallabies carries some of the same flavour as Smith’s left-field selection for the third Test in 2013, however.
The 64-Test utility, who debuted as an 18-year-old in 2008, was the starting No.10 for the Wallabies in their 2-1 series defeat to the Lions in 2013. But just a few months later, O’Connor had his Rugby Australia contract torn up for a series of off-field problems.
James O’Connor slipping past Jonny Sexton during the 2013 Lions tour of Australia.Credit: Getty Images
He went overseas, matured, and made a memorable return to Australia and the Wallabies for the 2019 Rugby World Cup. O’Connor last played a Test in 2022, under Dave Rennie, and last year left the Queensland Reds to join the Crusaders in New Zealand.
O’Connor was a revelation for the powerhouse Kiwi side, coming off the bench in the role of experienced playmaker, and the Crusaders won the title last month.
O’Connor has not hidden his desire to return to the Wallabies for a second Lions series, and Schmidt spoke to the veteran several times through the year.
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In an interview with this masthead in May, O’Connor said he was a far better player now than the youngster thrown in at the deep end and given the No.10 role in 2013.
“In every way, the boy then and the man here [today] are different,” he said. “You only know what you know, rugby-wise and off the field, too. That was my journey and it went that way. But I wouldn’t change anything because I wouldn’t be where I am right now if I didn’t go through that period of life.
“In terms of rugby knowledge, geez – I could beat guys one-on-one quite well and still had a decent enough kicking game, but I knew nothing of how to manage a game. I was pretty green. It was the first time I’d been given the keys, so to speak.”
O’Connor had only played one Test in the No.10 jersey before the 2013 Lions series.
“I’d played quite a few times for my country and I played Super Rugby at 10 for a few years, but it is a very different game and one I didn’t even know about, because I didn’t have a growth mindset. I thought I knew it all by that stage. I was taught a lesson in that series and I’ve been taught a couple more lessons over the years.”
MORE TO COME
