Where ex-England player believes ‘brave gain-line maestro’ James O’Connor falls down compared to Handre Pollard
Wallaby James O'Connor (left) has replaced Handre Pollard of the Springboks on the Leicester roster
Ex-England out-half Stuart Barnes has given his verdict on Leicester’s Premiership title chances with Wallabies international James O’Connor at out-half instead of Springboks No.10 Handre Pollard.
The South African finished up his three-year stay at the Tigers with an 80-minute appearance in the Premiership final that was lost to Bath last June at Allianz Twickenham.
With head coach Michael Cheika having also departed, the recruitment of an out-half successor fell to new Leicester boss Geoff Parling.
Having worked as the Wallabies assistant under Joe Schmidt, he had his finger on the Super Rugby Pacific pulse and eventually convinced O’Connor that his club future would be best served by a return to the Premiership after he finished up at the title-winning Crusaders.
“Pollard is a great kicker under pressure. O’Connor is not”
O’Connor agreed, but his move to England has been delayed by Wallabies head coach Schmidt recalling him from the Test wilderness to offset an injury crisis. Despite last playing international rugby in 2022, O’Connor was tasked with helping Australia in the Rugby Championship.
Fresh from involvement in all four matches so far – two as a starter – O’Connor is now in Auckland preparing for his country’s Round Five match away to New Zealand, having secured the blessing of Parling to see out the current Test window rather than report for Leicester duty ahead of this Sunday’s start to their new Premiership campaign away to Bristol.
O’Connor’s impending arrival back into the league at the age of 35, six years after seeing out the 2018/19 season with Sale, has piqued the interest of Barnes, the retired England and Bath player.
Towards the end of a column in The Times where he highlighted the grand potential for Lee Blackett, the former assistant at the title-winning Bath, to thrive as England’s new attack coach, Barnes looked ahead to the new Premiership season.
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He initially touched on the chances of Bath and then Northampton, before getting stuck into Leicester and their plans without Pollard on their roster following his switch to the Bulls in South Africa.
“The West Country side have a squad capable of retaining the league title and putting together a European Champions Cup challenge,” wrote Barnes. “Elsewhere, Champions Cup finalists Northampton have signed Anthony Belleau, a French fly-half, from Clermont.
“They suffered when Fin Smith was absent last season and have acted decisively in bringing high-class cover to the club. Expect to see them in the play-offs. And then there is Leicester Tigers, the Premiership runners-up last season.
“Having lost the services of their double World Cup-winning fly half, Handre Pollard, they have signed James O’Connor, the Australian who found his way back into the Wallabies Test squad after a spell in the wilderness.
“Pollard is a great kicker under pressure. O’Connor is not. Pollard is the epitome of a fly-half. O’Connor is a former winger and full back (and quite magnificent in both positions) who can light a gloomy afternoon like few others.
“He is adept at drawing opposing midfields but – while Pollard was not at his best last season – there is a question of control that needs answering. Bath and Northampton have depth at No.10, Leicester a brave gain-line maestro with tactical limitations.
“Expect continued improvement from England this season and a Bath-Northampton domestic showdown.”
