James O’Connor and the Crusaders are wrapping up their pre-Christmas preseason in Christchurch so the former Wallaby now has a decent sample size to compare his Kiwi and Australian preseason experiences.
After a dozen years in Australian Super Rugby with three different teams, in addition to eight years in Europe, O’Connor says the pace of the Crusaders preseason is unlike anything he’s experienced in his career.
The 34-year-old has been vocal in his pursuit of the Crusaders’ No. 10 jersey, while also praising the young talent he is nurturing in the form of Rivez Reihana and Taha Kemara, two players he says have “good rugby heads”. In competing for the starting spot, O’Connor has been put through his paces.
“It’s been tasty, it’s been fast, it’s been tough. I’m sticking in there, keeping up, really enjoying it. They’ve definitely turned the weather on, I’m loving that,” O’Connor told Newstalk ZB‘s…
Leave a reply