James O’Connor has declared himself a changed man after strolling into his own personal last chance saloon at the Queensland Reds.
The former Wallabies controversy magnet made his first public appearance on Tuesday since departing from French Top 14 champions Toulon and said he is ready to show Australian rugby what he learnt from his 15-month overseas exile.
“I’m in a different headspace,” O’Connor said.
“There’s no beating around the bush – I made mistakes.
“It was a tough transition but once you get that understanding of where you went wrong, it all became pretty clear to me how I could come back on track – by working hard and doing the little things right.
“To be honest, it was the best move I’ve done.”
More than just correcting the mindset that landed him in hot water on multiple occasions in the past, the 24-year-old said he has refined his on-field abilities after training harder in Europe than he ever had.
O’Connor honed in on his kicking while at Toulon and had the ideal mentor in the form of English great Jonny Wilkinson.
“The things I’ve learnt while I’ve been overseas that I can bring to my game, I don’t think I’ve even touched the surface of the player I can be,” he said.
O’Connor didn’t shy away from his ultimate Rugby World Cup ambitions, but said his immediate goal was to find his feet at Ballymore.
The Gold Coast product will be eased into his first week of full training but is expected to play some sort of role in the Reds’ first trial match of the year against the Melbourne Rebels in Cairns on January 31.
Reds coach Richard Graham said O’Connor still had that “cheeky swagger” but could already sense a new level of maturity about him.
Graham also signalled the versatile O’Connor will be deployed out wide as part of a new, star-studded Queensland backline.
“With the Wallabies he was the world’s best winger at that point in time and it suits him to play there,” he said.
“The last time I was involved with James, he was a 20-year-old.
“Now he’s 24. We all change over time.
“He’s come back with a lot of confidence.”
