In one of Joe Schmidt’s biggest selection calls since taking over from Eddie Jones, James O’Connor – the 35-year-old, who last played for the Wallabies in 2022 – is set to wear the No.10 jersey against the Springboks on Sunday (1:10am AEST).
The Roar understands that Schmidt will turn to his experienced playmaker ahead of Ben Donaldson, who is believed to have once again been picked on the bench. It’s the fourth-straight Test Donaldson will be selected as a replacement.
Schmidt is otherwise expected to go into the Rugby Championship opener with a very similar 23 to the one that ended the Lions series on a positive note in Sydney, with Rob Valetini unlikely to lace up the boots at Ellis Park as he continues to shake off his calf injury.
The Wallabies will announce their team on Thursday night – 72 hours after Rassie Erasmus announced his side.
James O’Connor is poised to play his first Test in three years. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images for Rugby Australia)
But all the focus will be on O’Connor, who is in line to play his first Test since wearing the No.10 jersey in the Wallabies’ 48-17 hiding suffered in Argentina some 1099 days ago.
The veteran playmaker, who will join Leicester Tigers later this year after signing off from Super Rugby with a maiden title with the Crusaders, was cast aside by Dave Rennie following the then-record loss in Argentina.
While he almost made a return under Jones for the World Cup, Schmidt turned to youth in his first season in charge last year.
O’Connor thought his days in gold were officially over in June when Schmidt left the Super Rugby champion out of his squad ahead of the Fiji Test.
But a season-ending injury to Noah Lolesio saw Schmidt turn to the veteran playmaker ahead of Bernard Foley and Brumbies-bound flyhalf Tane Edmed to join Tom Lynagh and Ben Donaldson in the squad to take on the Lions.
Now, the loss of Lynagh has forced Schmidt’s hand.
Ben Donaldson has come off the bench in the Wallabies’ past three Tests. (Photo By Brendan Moran/Sportsfile via Getty Images)
Donaldson, who has started twice under Schmidt, has now been usurped by a third playmaker.
It’s a remarkable turn of events, especially 13 months after Schmidt told reporters in Sydney that he thought Australian rugby needed to back the next generation of playmakers or risk mentally breaking them.
“I do think it’s (the inability to grab the No.10 jersey and make it their own) a mental thing,” Schmidt said following the Wallabies’ unconvincing win over Georgia in Sydney in July 2024.
“There’s a lot being asked of the 10s at the moment, and I do think that they’ll have the opportunity to improve when they can be clearer.
He added: “If we don’t invest in them now, it’ll be difficult for them. If you put them in and out, they don’t get continuity, they don’t build confidence.”
How Donaldson responds remains to be seen, but Schmidt has let it be known that he likes the impact that some replacements offer.
Indeed, Tate McDermott, the excellent halfback, who scored twice against the Lions, has been viewed as one of the best finishers in the game in recent years.
Donaldson, too, has provided some match-winning cameos off the bench and been involved in some clutch late wins, including against Fiji in July and England last November.
The 26-year-old, who has played 19 Tests, also played 45 minutes during the Wallabies’ recent 22-12 win over the Lions.
Joe Schmidt has made one of his biggest selection calls since taking over from Eddie Jones. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, O’Connor, whose one start in 2025 ended in defeat against Moana Pasifika, hasn’t played since coming off the bench for one minute in the Crusaders’ brilliant win over the Chiefs in Super Rugby on June 21.
The 64-Test veteran, who debuted in 2008, went unused during the Lions series despite his dramatic call-up on the day the Wallabies squad was named in Brisbane.
“I thought it had passed. I had a few conversations with the boys who found out last night,” O’Connor said.
“Me and the wife went in [to Brisbane], got my visa and then I just saw a couple of the boys on the corner, literally about 100 metres up the road.
“I drove the car up there and pulled it around just to say good luck for the tour.”
After settling on the Tigers-bound playmaker to join the squad for the Lions, Schmidt had been unsuccessfully trying to ring him on the Friday morning. It was only when the coach, who stood in the hotel foyer trying to reach O’Connor one more time, that someone pointed out he was standing outside.
“Two minutes later, Joe comes walking out, and he’s like, ‘man, I tried to call you!’,” O’Connor recalled to reporters about his shock return last month.
“I was like, ‘oh, you can give me the bad news now then’… and he’s like, ‘no, you’re in. You better get home and pack your bags.’ We’ve got an hour until the release.
“I thought he [Joe] was joking … because everyone was already at the hotel and everyone knew. The boys always say, if you get a call … no news is good news, apparently. He’d given me a call.
“He shook my hand and told me – and I was double-checking. I was like, ‘Are you serious?’ Honestly, it hasn’t sunk in yet. Genuinely, it’s very surreal.”
Now, O’Connor’s dream will turn into reality in front of 62,000 fans, 1,720 metres above sea level in what is widely regarded as one of the toughest cauldrons.