Michael O'Connor (rugby)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Michael O'Connor
Personal information
Full name Michael David O'Connor
Date of birth February 1, 1960 (1960-02-01) (age 48)
Place of birth Flag of Australia Nowra, New South Wales, Australia
Nickname Snoz
School Phillip College, ACT
Occupation(s)    Sports Administrator
Rugby league career
Position Centre, Wing
Professional clubs Caps (points)
1983–1986
1987–1992
1989   		 St George
Manly
St Helens, UK		 71
115
18		 (401)
(576)
(42)
State of Origin
1985–1991    New South Wales 19 (129)
National teams
1985–1990    Flag of Australia Australia 17 (190)
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position Winger, Centre
Clubs
1979-80
1981-82		 Canberra Royals
Teachers, Queensland
National team(s) Caps (points)
1979–1982
1977-1978		 Flag of Australia Australia
Australian Schoolboys		 13
3


Michael David O'Connor (born 1960, Nowra, New South Wales) is a former Australian rugby league and rugby union player - a dual international. He represented the Wallabies in 13 Tests from 1979 to 1982 and the Kangaroos in 17 Tests from 1985 to 1990.

Contents

[edit] Rugby union career

O'Connor was superb centre who possessed an array of natural talents and established a host of point scoring records at Test level. Originally from Canberra he toured with the Australian Rugby Union Schoolboys in 1977. His club rugby career was with the Canberra Royals, then Teachers Queensland.

He was first selected for the Wallabies in 1979, a few months ahead of Mark Ella and other of O'Connor's prodigiously talented teammates from the 1977 Australian Schoolboys side such as Tony Melrose, Michael Hawker and Glen and Gary Ella. With a number of those players he was a young starter in the 1980 Wallaby side which won the Bledisloe Cup in Sydney in the 3rd and deciding game that year. O'Connor scored a try in this game marking his ascendancy in representative rugby and coinciding with a re-birth of Australian rugby and the beginning of a golden period through to the Grand Slam achievement of 1984.

He made 13 Wallaby appearances at Centre up till the July 1982 Test against Scotland.

[edit] Rugby league career

O'Connor switched to Rugby League signing with St George in 1983. He made his State of Origin debut for New South Wales two years later. He is remembered in State of Origin folklore for a sideline conversion in teeming rain after the final siren to win the 2nd game of the 1991 series.

His international rugby league debut in the 1st Test against New Zealand in Auckland in July 1986 saw him become Australia's 37th dual code rugby international following Ray Price and preceding Ricky Stuart.Many of his international rugby league appearances were as a winger, such was the depth of the three-quarter talent available to the Australian selectors during his era.

At the end of the 1992 season, still on top and producing his best as captain of Manly, O'Connor announced his retirement.

O'Connor also represented St. Helens in a short spell in England during 1989, but his performances were largely disappointing culminating in the side's humiliating 27-0 defeat at Wembley against arch rivals, Wigan. O'Connor's specially arranged return for that match, given his unimpressive performances for the side was controversial. It should be noted that then Saints coach, Alex Murphy tried O'Connor at fullback on occasion without success. He primarily played in his preferred centre position after that.

[edit] Post playing

After retirement as a player O'Connor had administrative roles with both the Australian Rugby League and then the Australian Rugby Union. He was the ARU's Talent Identification Coordinator for a number of years. In 2006 O'Connor was appointed as a Wallaby Selector filling the independent role on the selection panel, along with Head Coach John Connolly and Attack Coach Scott Johnson.


[edit] External links