Wallaby bad boy James O’Connor will play first Toulon match since his cocaine arrest

JAMES O’Connor to lace up the boots for the first time since his cocaine arrest, while the secret to the Rebels’ sudden form resurgence has BEER involved.

JAMES O’Connor will play for the first time since his cocaine arrest this weekend - in the city he was picked up by police.

We can reveal that the 26-year-old will return for Toulon on Sunday against Will Genia’s Stade Francais in Paris.

O’Connor will start at fullback for Toulon, who have yet to decide whether they’ll recruit the former Wallaby beyond this season.

O'Connor after he was detained by French police in Paris. Picture: David Dyson

After being arrested for cocaine possession, O’Connor and former All Black Ali Williams spent 40 hours in police cells.

O’Connor escaped with a fine while Williams is due to appear in court, while both men must front a disciplinary commission of the French National Rugby League on April 12.

While Stade’s home ground Stade Jean Bouin is just a 20-minute drive from the Champs Elysees, it’s highly doubtful O’Connor will be sighted anywhere near the trendy nightclub where he and Williams allegedly purchased 2.4 grams of the hard drug on February 25.

BEER MEDICINE

THEY went from easybeats to almost dusting Super Rugby’s champs inside a fortnight.

And now the secret behind the Melbourne Rebels’ dramatic turnaround can be revealed: some cartons of beer and a game of touch.

Rebels centre Tom English explained how an “old fashioned bonding session” played a critical role in picking the Melburnians up after two heavy defeats in the opening rounds.

The Rebels were routed 56-18 by the Blues at home and then got humiliated by the Hurricanes 71-6 in Wellington.

Ahead of a clash with the competition-leading Chiefs at home, however, the Rebels had a bye.

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Coach Tony McGahan gave the team a few days off from training in the bye week to get their heads together. Senior players decided it was a perfect time to get their heads together, but this time away from the club.

“The leadership group decided to bring all the boys together, and we had a game of touch and hung around and had a barbecue at ​the park,” English said.

Nothing silly, but the team enjoyed a few tinnies with their snags and they spoke honestly.

“We just spent a bit of time together, and talked about what we really want to get out the season and each other as a team,” English said.

“That showed when came out against the Chiefs. We got back to the reasons why we play the game, and believing in each other. It was the belief that we had probably lost.”

The Rebels were level with the Chiefs until the 74th minute until the Kiwi’s class shone through in the final stages.

KIMLIN FURIOUS OVER RAPE IMPLICATIONS

​FORMER Wallaby Peter Kimlin has been left fuming after being linked to an alleged gang-rape in France.

We understand Kimlin’s only connection to the matter was sharing a taxi from a pub back to the team hotel with teammates implicated in the alleged sexual assault on March 11 after Grenoble played Bordeaux.

Kimlin was left seething after being falsly implicated an alleged gang rape.

Kimlin was asked to provide a statement as a witness to police and was never arrested, or even held, by police.

French reports incorrectly named all the Grenoble players in one report and suggested they’d all been arrested, and would all be sacked.

These reports were translated into English and shot around the world and led to Kimlin and his family being horrified as the former Brumby was identified in Australian media as having been arrested for rape.

Kimlin later posted a series of tweets to clarify his involvement, saying he was only helping with inquiries and he had not been sacked.

A lawyer involved in the case told French media Kimlin was entirely in the clear.

But friends of Kimlin said while it was known in rugby circles the news couldn’t be true - given his reputation as a cleanskin - seeing his name dragged through the mud was upsetting. As late as Thursday afternoon, uncorrected and potentially defamatory headlines were still being used by clickbait Australian news sites.

Tolu Latu is learning from the best. Picture: Mark Evans

YOU COULDN’T MAKE IT UP!

BILL Pulver can find a drama.

Amid all the heat coming his way for rugby’s woes and the Super Rugby review mess, Pulver’s car was stolen this week and used in a dramatic crime spree.

Pulver’s car was at a car wash around the corner from ARU headquarters - one of those joints where you leave the keys - when a man jumped in and drove off.

The man had allegedly been involved in a triple-stabbing at Brookvale and robbed two service stations before taking Pulver’s car to Newcastle, where he then had a 17-hour standoff with police.​ He was charged with 20 offences.

LEARNING FROM THE KING

SECRETS from David Pocock have helped Tolu Latu become one of the Waratahs’ best ball-pilferers this season.

Hooker Latu has surprised many with his excellent breakdown turnovers this season and he admits to receiving some sage advice from Pocock while in Wallabies camp last year.

“He’s great over the ball, he gave me a couple of tips, it’s a secret between me and him,” Latu said.