The NSW Waratahs have wasted no time identifying James O’Connor as the Queensland Reds’ dangerman in Saturday night’s Super Rugby derby in Brisbane.

O’Connor is just one match into his return to Australian rugby, but the reigning Super champions are already on guard as they chase maximum points in a must-win early-round encounter at Suncorp Stadium.

With the Waratahs and Reds both already five points adrift of the front-running Brumbies on the Australian conference ladder, neither side can afford another slip-up in the round-four match-up.

The Reds are under added pressure, having played an extra game and needing a home win.

Compounding their troubles is the absence of star playmakers Karmichael Hunt, who fronts court on Thursday to defend allegations of supplying cocaine, and the injured Quade Cooper.

O’Connor, though, showed enough in Queensland’s bonus-point loss to the Highlanders in New Zealand at the weekend to confirm he’s back from France as an improved player after learning from midfield masters Matt Giteau and Jonny Wilkinson at Toulon.

“He’s still got that individual flair and he’ll always have that X factor,” said NSW’s former Reds backline utility Jono Lance on Monday.

“I think playing overseas with Giteau and the likes, you can’t help but learn from them.

“So I’m sure he’s come back with a whole new way to look at the game after playing with Giteau and seeing what Wilkinson can do.”

O’Connor and Wallabies No.9 Will Genia are teamed up in the halves for the first time since Australia’s series loss to the British and Irish Lions in 2013 and Waratahs back-rower Pat McCutcheon said the pair must be respected.

“James is a quality player. I’m not going to deny that,” McCutcheon said.

“Someone of his class, he’s played X amount of Tests for Australia. He’s competed from fullback to wing to five-eighth. You don’t just do that on the back of your hat.

“From what I hear, him and Will Genia are a pretty deadly combination.”

After a first-round home loss to the Western Force, victory over the Rebels in Melbourne and then a bye last weekend, the Waratahs are playing their third straight conference derby.

McCutcheon said it was a challenging start to their title defence, especially with a string of games on the road coming.

“You see some teams really struggle with that and that’s something we really challenge ourselves with,” he said.

“We really try and force that win on ourselves when we’re away and they’re points we can hold up our sleeve later in the season.”