Crusaders hail former bad boy James O'Connor as Wallabies trump card in Lions series
Primed for Wallaby selection? Crusaders' James O'Connor runs with the ball during their round 10 Super Rugby Pacific match against the Blues. Photo: Sanka Vidanagama/NurPhoto via AFP
The Canterbury Crusaders say veteran fly-half James O'Connor still boasts international quality and would be a potential Australian match-winner if named to face the British and Irish Lions.
O'Connor, 34, has been a revelation for the Crusaders in their climb to second place on the Super Rugby standings, impressing again off the reserves bench in a 48-33 win over the New South Wales Waratahs in Sydney on Friday.
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt said last week he is considering the merits of the versatile back, who played the last of 64 Tests nearly three years ago.
Crusaders captain David Havili believed O'Connor could be a trump card in the three-Test series against the Lions starting in July.
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Daily Maverick
an hour ago
- Daily Maverick
Proteas let a good start slip as they look to skipper Bavuma for a fightback
South Africa 43 for 4 (David Bedingham 8*, Temba Bavuma 3*, Mitchell Starc 2-10) trail Australia 212 (Beau Webster 72, Steve Smith 66, Kagiso Rabada 5-51) by 169 runs. South Africa are in a world of trouble on 43 for four at stumps despite performing superbly to bowl out Australia for 212 on the first day of the World Test Championship (WTC) final at Lord's in England. Nine wickets fell for 65 runs in an hour and 50 minutes of mayhem after tea, which included an Australian collapse from 190 for five at tea to 212 all out. The talk pre-match was about the quality of both sides' bowling attacks and on day one, both delivered a clinic. South Africa's best in Kagiso Rabada and to a lesser degree left-arm seamer Marco Jansen led the way for South Africa, while the trio of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, in particular, offered a stern examination of the Proteas' batting techniques. South Africa has one of the best fast bowlers in Test cricket in Rabada, who led the cleanup of the tail with three wickets in his third spell, to go with two earlier in the day, to take his 17th five-wicket haul in Test cricket. It was an incredible day of bowling for the big quick. Rabada finished with five wickets for 51 to get his name on the Lord's honours board for a second time. In the process, he went past Allan Donald on the South African all-time wicket-taking standings, moving to 332. Australia, though, have three pace bowlers of a similar quality to Rabada, who provided no let-up from the other end, on a Lord's wicket that was not easy for batting throughout the first day. Conversely, Rabada's support cast on day one was Jansen for short periods and very little else by way of fast-bowling. It was for that reason that Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma elected to bowl after winning the toss, with the cloudy overhead conditions also playing a role. The Proteas will need David Bedingham and skipper Bavuma to dig deep on day two for any chance of a positive result in the WTC final. Catches win matches Rabada started the day exceptionally, dismissing Usman Khawaja (nought off 20) and Cameron Green (four off three) in his fourth over of the day. The first three were maidens. Jansen largely held the pressure from the other end and was eventually rewarded with the wicket of first-time opener Marnus Labuschagne (17 off 56). Jansen claimed a second scalp six overs later when he strangled Travis Head down the leg side. Three of the first four wickets were from exceptional catches behind the wicket. Bedingham held on to Khawaja's edge that flew to his left, Aiden Markram caught Green with a brilliant low grab despite Wiaan Mulder diving across him, and Kyle Verreynne moved quickly and was outstretched when he caught Head. Steve Smith held firm from the other end, seemingly batting on a different surface to everyone else. Australia's star batter hit the ball late and square as he marched to 66 off 112 deliveries. Missed opportunities Beau Webster was at the other end, scratching his way through his innings. Rabada, in his second spell, had the all-rounder dancing, playing and missing nearly every ball. Two overs before lunch, Jansen rapped Smith (26 off 46 at that stage) on the pads. Smith shuffled across his stumps, the delivery angled towards him from around the wicket and thudded into his front pad just above the knee roll with the leg stump visible on impact. Loud appeals were repelled by umpire Chris Gaffaney, but Bavuma, after long consultation, requested a review with a second left on the clock. There were two reds, pitching outside off-stump and hitting in line, but one orange, Hawkeye projecting the delivery to only be clipping the leg stump bail. Had Gaffaney raised his finger, Australia's best batter would have been in the sheds regardless of whether he reviewed the decision. Webster then survived two LBW appeals from Jansen in the same over, after lunch. The second was reviewed. Again, two reds and one orange: impact the deciding factor this time. The umpire's call prevailed again for Australia. An over later, Rabada delivered a vicious in-swinger that struck Webster's front pad and then ricocheted into his back pad — the two noises sounding like impact on the bat. There was a stifled appeal from the South Africans that was rejected, but replays proved that Webster should have been given out; this time three reds, but not reviewed. Webster was on eight at that stage and Australia on 94 for four in the 29th over. The sizeable all-rounder went on to top-score with 72 off 92 deliveries. 'We thought 160 is what we should have had them at,' Rabada said after the match. The part-time off-spin of Markram eventually broke the 79-run stand by Smith and Webster after a terrific juggling catch at slip by Jansen off a ball that whistled off the edge. Batting calamity South Africa batted for 107 minutes, facing 22 overs. In that time, they scored only 43 runs and lost four wickets in that period of mayhem. Markram (nought off six) was worked over in the first over by Starc, who had the Dukes ball swinging around corners from the outset. Mulder (six off 44) looked like he could have been out on every delivery he faced in a painful period of batting against a relentless Aussie pace attack. The No 3 was eventually cleaned up by Cummins off a straight delivery on a good length that he tried to drive. Ryan Rickelton (16 off 23) looked the most comfortable South African batter at the crease, striking three boundaries, but he was lured into playing a cover drive off a looping Starc outswinger, which caught the edge of his blade and was pouched by Khawaja at slip. Tristan Stubbs was the fourth Protea batter dismissed in the session, by the best delivery of the lot, beaten between bat and pad by a Cummins ball that nipped towards him and kissed the bails. Skipper Bavuma (three off 37) spent the session absorbing pressure while Bedingham (eight off nine) had been at the crease for less than two overs when play was called off for the first day of enthralling action. DM
IOL News
4 hours ago
- IOL News
Life moves on for Kagiso Rabada, but now calls on Proteas batters to combat Aussie speedsters
Proteas fast bowler Kagiso Rabada claimed his second five-wicket haul at Lord's on Wednesday. Picture: BackpagePix Image: Picture: BackpagePix LONDON: Kagiso Rabada has already delivered a special bowling performance. He may now have to double up with the bat on Thursday for the Proteas to keep going toe-to-toe with Australia in this fast-moving World Test Championship Final at Lord's. The opening two sessions belonged to Rabada and the Proteas. They had the large number of Proteas fans in the stands chanting traditional South African songs as the Aussies were blown away. 'It felt like a home game,' Rabada said. But he also admitted that the eventual Australian may have been a few too many. '212, you'll take that. But we thought probably 160 is what we should have had them at,' he said. The fact that it was that much was largely due to a non-review by the Proteas when Rabada wrapped Australia's top-scorer Beau Webster (72) on the pads when he had just eight. 'Yeah, Corbin Bosch came down to find leg and he said it was out. And I was like, oh man! Rabada sighed. 'Yeah, it was a bit annoying. He didn't start off too well there. It looked like he was going to get out any ball. But I guess his positive intent got him through. Cricket's a funny game.' It was no laughing matter, though, when Rabada's hard work was undone in the final session when the Australian seamers ran through the Proteas' top-order to leave Shukri Conrad's team at 43/4 when the stumps were drawn. Unlike Webster, and Steve Smith's (66) counter-attacking approach at the crease, the Proteas batters never threw a punch in anger as the Australian attack landed one left hook after the other. Southpaw Mitchell Starc was particularly impressive with figures of 2/10. But unlike Rabada that operated primarily in solo fashion, Starc had Pat Cummins (1/14) and Josh Hazlewood (1/10) for support. 'The ball was nipping quite a bit and at times moving off the slope quite a lot. But I still felt like batters could get in,' Rabada said. 'If you just bowled well and got more balls in the right area for a long period of time, then that's when you could create chances. They didn't miss their lengths and they bowled really well. So, we're going to have to combat that tomorrow (Thursday).' The Proteas' chances may have nose-dived in that final hour, but it remained a day to remember for Rabada for so many reasons. The fast bowler has been in the spotlight since testing for a banned substance and the spotlight was firmly on the 30-year-old to see how he would respond to the scrutiny. Independent Media's Zaahier Adams will be at Lord's for the World Test Championship bringing you all the news, videos and podcasts. Picture: Independent Media Image: Independent Media
TimesLIVE
5 hours ago
- TimesLIVE
Rabada stars, but Proteas batters stumble on day one of WTC final
Kagiso Rabada had just taken the wicket of Pat Cummins with a snorter that was angled in at the Australian captain and then held its line to knock back his off stump. As he strode towards his fielding position in front of the Compton Stand — at the Nursery End of the storied venue — spectators there, the majority of whom were clad in South African colours, stood and applauded. The day first crowd — a sell-out according to the ICC, though there were a few empty seats — overwhelmingly backed South Africa as they began the World Test Championship final at Lord's against Australia on Wednesday. 'It felt like a home game,' said Rabada. The reaction to the two anthems at the start of play clearly indicated the team with the most support here — whether from the enormous South African expat community in the English capital, or just locals wanting to get on Australian's nerves (this is an Ashes year after all) — was Temba Bavuma's. Given how the day unfolded, the Proteas captain's correct call at the toss to bowl earned his side an important advantage. A lot of that was wiped out by Australia's relentless efforts in the last hour and 45 minutes of the day, in which there were no freebies on offer leaving Proteas stumbling on 43/4 at stumps. They still trail the defending champions by 169 runs but given how Australia bowled, it was probably best South Africa got the first opportunity with the ball, and thankfully Rabada delivered. Under grey skies — and with the floodlights operating — Rabada and Marco Jansen had ideal conditions to exploit against an Australia featuring a makeshift opener in Marnus Labuschagne and makeshift, albeit lately a successful, No 3 in Cameron Green. Rabada claimed Green and Usman Khawaja's wicket in his fourth over — David Bedingham and Aiden Markram providing two excellent slip catches in the process. That opening spell settled the nerves of Rabada's teammates, giving them a foothold in a match that head coach Shukri Conrad had described as the most important of their lives. The South Africans were excellent in that session with the only disappointment being Lungi Ngidi's two four-over spells where he conceded 45 runs and failed to build on the pressure Rabada was creating. Australia's performance later showed just how costly Ngidi's innocuous performance may prove to be. The Proteas were in the ascendancy at lunch with Australia on 67/4, but poor use of the decision review system, along with a lack of precision from Ngidi, Keshav Maharaj and Wiaan Mulder, allowed Steve Smith and Beau Webster to drag Australia back into the contest. Their partnership of 79 and the rate at which Australia batted at in the middle session — 4.73 runs an over — was concerning. Markram, bowling an over to allow Mulder to switch ends, was a huge bonus breakthrough, with Smith swinging hard at a delivery looped outside his off stump that was edged to a juggling Jansen at slip. Smith's 66 and Webster's fortuitous 72 may yet turn out to be vital in the outcome. Rabada picked up three wickets after tea — including Webster's, which should have come three hours earlier — as Australia lost 5/22 in 6.4 overs to be bowled out for 212. Rabada's 5/51 was his second five-for at Lord's but rather than have his name stencilled below his 5/52 against England here three years ago, it will go up on the 'Neutral's board' which is also in the away team's dressing room, and includes records for the 1912 Australia-South Africa Test, the 2010 match between Australia and Pakistan, and this WTC final. 'It means a lot to me to play for South Africa, it always has. I'm just happy I could do a job out there,' the bowler said. With 332 Test wickets, Rabada now sits fourth on the all time wickets list for South Africa, moving past Allan Donald's 330 on Wednesday. 'Records are awesome. It means a lot to go past Allan Donald but that is secondary, the primary thing for us is this game,' he said. It may take Rabada to also do something special with the bat after Australia's excellent finish to what was a compelling opening day. But after the troubles he's had in the build-up to this match, you wouldn't be surprised if he did.
