A Wallabies return next year looks unlikely but not impossible for James O'Connor after the sacked Australian star signed with UK rugby union club London Irish until the end of the season.
The English Premiership club officially unveiled the talented 23-year-old utility back as their prize recruit on Tuesday, following days of speculation.
O'Connor said on Twitter on Monday he was heading to the UK to play rugby "for a few months" but his new deal will keep him in the northern hemisphere until June next year, deep into the Super Rugby season.
With Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie's policy of only picking players from Super Rugby, O'Connor may have to forgo a return to the national side next year and target the 2015 World Cup.
However a return next year would not be out of the question if he returns to Australia to play a handful of games late in the season.
He could play in the last six rounds of Super Rugby if his English side doesn't make the finals.
O'Connor, capped 44 times for Australia, said on Tuesday he felt a stint overseas was the best way to get his career on track.
"Having decided that I needed a change from both a personal and playing point of view, I spoke to clubs in Japan and France and concluded that the best way forward for my development was to move to England," O'Connor said.
"Given that I've left my support network back in Australia, London Irish offered me an environment that I felt comfortable with."
O'Connor was released from the remainder of his 2013 contract and told he would not be offered a lucrative ARU top-up contract for 2014 after a disciplinary investigation found he had failed to "uphold the behavioural and cultural standards expected within the team".
It came after an incident in which he was escorted from Perth Airport for drunken behaviour, the morning after he played on the wing in the Wallabies' Rugby Championship win against Argentina.
The troubled playmaker will play fullback for his new club and is expected to debut in their match against Northampton on Sunday.
His signing is a significant coup for Irish.
"He will bring a huge amount of experience to our group and will fit in well to our style of play," the club's boss Brian Smith said.
Earlier on Tuesday, Australian coach Ewen McKenzie said it was up to O'Connor to make the most of the switch but stressed the only path back to the national team was through Super Rugby.
McKenzie was coy on his feelings over the move, hinting he might have preferred the talented 23-year-old to remain in Australia to deal with the behavioural issues which led to his Australian Rugby Union contract being terminated.
McKenzie has kept in contact with O'Connor and, asked whether he preferred him to remain in Australia, the coach said: "I made it clear what my preference was in terms of for him as a person.
"I wasn't talking to him as a coach, I was talking to him as a person and that's between me and him.
"He's made his own decisions there. I've had a lot of discussions with him about what I think's important but, ultimately, he's in his shoes and he's got to make decisions about his life.
"I've encouraged him: whatever decision you make, make it the right decision."
Share
