{"id":16141,"date":"2025-07-12T05:34:34","date_gmt":"2025-07-12T09:34:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alofokedeportes.com\/en\/sin-categoria\/oconnor-returns-schmidt-calls-up-veteran-wallaby-to-face-the-lions\/"},"modified":"2025-07-12T05:34:34","modified_gmt":"2025-07-12T09:34:34","slug":"oconnor-returns-schmidt-calls-up-veteran-wallaby-to-face-the-lions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alofokedeportes.com\/en\/rugby\/oconnor-returns-schmidt-calls-up-veteran-wallaby-to-face-the-lions\/","title":{"rendered":"O’Connor Returns: Schmidt Calls Up Veteran Wallaby to Face the Lions"},"content":{"rendered":"Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has made a crucial decision by calling up James O’Connor for the match against the British and Irish Lions.\n\nO’Connor returns to the team for the first time since 2022, marking a significant moment in his career.\n\nSchmidt was forced to turn to the experience of O’Connor, 35 years old, after Noah Lolesio’s injury.\n\n

“I feel like I’ve been preparing for this for quite a while, even my role in Super Rugby and adapting it for a possible way to be able to play in the Lions series,” O’Connor commented after learning of his selection.<\/p>James O’Connor<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\nLolesio’s injury forced Schmidt to consider the experience of O’Connor or Bernard Foley, against Tane Edmed.\n\nAlthough Edmed will have the opportunity to prove his worth, O’Connor’s experience, with 64 international matches, was key.\n\n

\"James
James O’Connor regresa a los Wallabies<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\nO’Connor’s participation in Super Rugby, even outside of Australia, also influenced the decision.\n\nO’Connor’s history in Australian rugby, with his long career in the team, was a determining factor.\n\nBen Donaldson is likely to start in the first match in Brisbane, and Tom Lynagh could be among the 23 players at Suncorp Stadium.\n\nSchmidt needed to secure the most demanding position on the field.\n\nThe combined experience of Donaldson and Lynagh doesn’t even reach a third of O’Connor’s international career.\n\nSchmidt highlighted O’Connor’s help to the opening position players in the Crusaders.\n\n
\"Joe
Joe Schmidt no tuvo m\u00e1s remedio que recurrir a la experiencia de James O’Connor<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\nThis decision demonstrates Schmidt’s adaptability to the circumstances.\n\nAt 35 years old, O’Connor has a unique opportunity to face the Lions for the second time.\n\nO’Connor has acknowledged his evolution, learning from past mistakes and taking responsibility.\n\nThis opportunity, whether as a starter, substitute, or experienced player, is deserved by O’Connor.\n\nSchmidt had no choice but to grant it.","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has made a crucial decision by calling up James O’Connor for the match against the British and Irish Lions. O’Connor returns to the team for the first time since 2022, marking a significant moment in his career. Schmidt was forced to turn to the experience of O’Connor, 35 years old, after […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":16142,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[40],"tags":[1176,920,203,921],"class_list":{"0":"post-16141","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-rugby","8":"tag-british-lions","9":"tag-james-oconnor","10":"tag-rugby","11":"tag-wallabies"},"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alofokedeportes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16141","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alofokedeportes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alofokedeportes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alofokedeportes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alofokedeportes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16141"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alofokedeportes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16141\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alofokedeportes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16142"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alofokedeportes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16141"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alofokedeportes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16141"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alofokedeportes.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16141"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}