James O’Connor or Reece Hodge: Who deserves six of the best?

Wallabies coach Dave Rennie will determine whether James O’Connor or Reece Hodge becomes the most versatile player in the history of the game.

James O'Connor has yet to start a Test in the No 12 jersey Picture: Getty Images

There are no definitive statistics on this but it is highly likely Wallabies coach Dave Rennie will determine whether James O’Connor or Reece Hodge becomes the most versatile player in the history of the game in the Test against Argentina at Parramatta on Saturday week.

Bizarrely, both could earn the record in the same Test?

O‘Connor and Hodge have each started in five different positions, a feat only Adam Ashley-Cooper has ever achieved. No Wallaby has ever filled six different positions in the run-on side although Rugby Australia’s unofficial historian Matthew Alvarez believes that Queenslander John Cecil “Jack” Steggall may well have been the greatest allrounder in Wallabies history.

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Steggall, the grandfather of Zali Steggall – the Winter Olympic bronze medal-winning alpine skier who beat former Prime Minister Tony Abbott for his seat in last year’s federal election – played only 10 Tests but was constantly on the move, starting at five-eighth, outside centre, wing and fullback.

In the case of O’Connor, he has been the starting 10 (five-eighth), 13 (outside centre), 11 (left wing), 14 (right wing) and 15 (fullback) – but never at 12 (inside centre) over the course of his 54 Tests. Hodge, capped 44 times, has started at 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 but counter-intuitively has never once been assigned the position perhaps best suited to him, fullback. That’s what comes, presumably, of being a contemporary of Israel Folau.

So the question remains: Could O’Connor be chosen at 12? Or Hodge at fullback? Neither appears likely, yet there has been so much chopping and changing in the Wallabies backline this season – with O’Connor playing at 10 for the first time since the failed experiment against the British and Irish Lions in 2013, Hodge moving to there after having played five-eighth only once before in a Test and Hunter Paisami deputising at inside centre for the first time in his professional career – that it would be bold to rule anything out.

The early speculation surrounding the Wallabies was that either O’Connor or Matt Toomua would play at 10 with the other at 12. And that is precisely how it played out in Bledisloes I and II, with O’Connor at playmaker - for the first time since his failed experiment there against the British and Irish Lions in 2013 - and Toomua effectively installed a second five-eighth alongside him.

Reece Hodge has started in every position in the backline except for halfback and fullback Picture: Getty Images

All that changed when the two backline veterans were injured during the Eden Park Test, with Rennie bringing in Brumbies rookies Noah Lolesio and Irae Simone for their Test debuts at 10 and 12 in Sydney, while Paisami maintained his position at outside centre.

But when the All Blacks waltzed to a record 43-5 win in Bledisloe III, the changes were made: Hodge coming off the bench into the playmaking role, with Paisami beside him at 12 for the first time. Meanwhile, Tom Banks, who had started off the Test season at fullback in Wellington and Auckland, found himself reinstated for the Brisbane win over the All Blacks and last weekend’s messy draw against Argentina in Newcastle.

All changes worked brilliantly against the All Blacks, less so against the Pumas. While it would be unremarkable if Hodge, Paisami and Banks all filled the same positions in the rematch against Argentina on December 5 at Bankwest Stadium, the expectation is that all three positions will be changed.

Much hinges on the Pumas-All Blacks Test in Newcastle on Saturday. If the All Blacks strike back hard, and they have picked what appears to be their strongest XV, then the final match of the Tri-Nations series a week later, Wallabies-Pumas, will have no bearing on the silverware.

In that event, Rennie can afford to be more daring in his selections for the last Test of the year, possibly reinstating Lolesio in the five-eighth position that may well be his in years to come. Still, he would have learned from the Sydney debacle and would be keen to partner him with an experienced player at inside centre. With Toomua still out of action with injury, it would make sense for O’Connor – now recovered from his foot problems - to play at 12, even though Paisami has been the unexpected find of the season.

And what of Hodge? If he makes way for Lolesio at 10, the logical move would be to move him back to the reserves, where his versatility makes him so indispensable.

But national selector Scott Johnson has told The Australian he believes Hodge can develop into the Wallabies’ best goalkicker since the days of Matt Burke. If that is the prevailing thinking, then a permanent position must be found for him and with O’Connor and Paisami jostling for the 12 jersey and Jordan Petaia, Marika Koroibete and Tom Wright having a lock on the 13, 11 and 14 jersies, the only opening is at fullback.

Banks and Dane Haylett-Petty remain the prime contenders but neither mounts an irresistible case. Given Hodge’s value to the team this season, it’s entirely possible he could be given the start there.