James O’Connor reflects on the experience that changed his career

There aren’t many people who can put their success down to hour-long sauna sessions, deprivation tanks and meditation but that’s where James O’Connor lost his ego and found his path.

• RA turns to Wallabies legend as stopgap boss
• O’Connor’s admission: ‘I was a broken man’

James O’Connor’s fresh rise as a potential Wallabies flyhalf began in a blizzard in Iceland where his destructive ego was broken.

The playmaker at the heart of the remodelled Queensland Reds backline is the experienced voice warning teammates not to get carried away by the 64-5 thrashing of the Sunwolves now the far tougher Sharks are next up at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday.

On Monday the upbeat O’Connor was radiating his sense of team-first purpose like a compass after explaining the extreme steps he took to find it.

Watch every match of the 2020 Vodafone Super Rugby Season LIVE & On-Demand on KAYO. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >

O'Connor will keeps his teammates grounded after beating the Sunwolves. Photo: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

In 2018, O’Connor embraced Saviour World, a men’s wellbeing organisation, and found himself confronted with a trip of self-discovery in Iceland.

“We did eight-hour hikes and came back to hour-long sauna sessions, deprivation tanks, meditation and breathing work,” O’Connor said.

“It was all literally to peel back the layers to who I really am because I’d lost my way. Breaking the ego was part of it.

“I had to become accountable, honest, find what life I wanted to lead and why I play rugby.”

O’Connor wears his new insights like a light armour and it is helping him stay grounded.

He’s not getting caught up in forecasts he’ll be wearing the Wallabies’ No.10 jersey against Ireland at Suncorp Stadium (July 4) and the SCG (July 11).

Tickets go on sale on March 17, a day no Irishman will forget is St Patrick’s Day.

The 2013 defeat to the British & Irish Lions left its mark. Photo: Scott Barbour/Getty Images

“Playing No.10 wasn’t something I expected at the Reds but I’m loving the extra time with the ball in hand and guys around me willing to run into walls or holes that I’m picking out,” O’Connor said.

The rush defence of the Durban-based Sharks, with pacy backs sprinting to disrupt in the centres, will be a great test of O’Connor as a flyhalf.

Can he be smart enough to ball-play to runners in close, quickly get around the rush on other occasions and dab a grubber kick when needed to expose them?

O’Connor’s honesty extends to a rare critique of his 2013 experience when Wallabies coach Robbie Deans gambled on him at No.10 against the British and Irish Lions.

The Wallabies lost the series 2-1, O’Connor was no leader when immature off the field and the experiment at No.10 was dumped.

O'Connor with Violet Johnson, Mia Ross and Cooper Pullinger for a Wallabies skills clinic at Cannon Hill Anglican College. Photo: AAP image, John Gass

MORE NEWS

Australia v Sri Lanka: Rachael Haynes half century gets Aussies out of tough spot in Perth

All Stars, Origin … What’s next? We scrap anthem from Olympics?

“It genuinely hurt I can now admit,” O’Connor said. “I thought I played average. I hadn’t spent enough time there.

“I thought I could do it but I didn’t understand the game well enough because Test level is a much different game. It takes time to learn to play No.10.

“I want to be the full package and the more time I spend in the saddle the more I learn about game control.”

O’Connor is generous in his praise of 52-Test Wallaby Matt Toomua and young Brumbies flyhalf Noah Lolesio.

“Matt is an all-out 10 in my books who controls the game well and Noah is showing what he can do,” O’Connor said.

“Good luck to them both and good luck to me I guess.”