B&I Lions bigger than World Cup

James O’Connor says he’s ready to translate his Crusaders success to the Wallabies after the veteran playmaker earned a shock recall to face the British and Irish Lions.

Almost three years after his last Test for Australia and 12 years after he started against the Lions in the 2013 losing series, O’Connor is again set to wear the green and gold.

Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt gave the 35-year-old the nod after his injured first-choice flyhalf Noah Lolesio was ruled out of the series.

The inclusion of O’Connor, who was part of the Crusaders’ Super Rugby Pacific-winning line-up, is one of only two changes from Australia’s squad that faced Fiji.

Queensland’s Melbourne-born lock Josh Canham, who made his Test debut last year, is also a new face, replacing Western Force forward Darcy Swain.

With the Wallabies having a week to prepare for the first Test in Brisbane on July 19, Schmidt hasn’t named a captain.

With 20 forwards and 16 backs, there are two uncapped players in ACT Brumbies speedster Corey Toole and Western Force back-rower Nick Champion de Crespigny included in the squad.

Injured forwards Will Skelton and Rob Valetini, who were both unavailable for Australia’s 21-18 win over Fiji last weekend due to calf injuries, were included, as was patchy prop Taniela Tupou.

Along with O’Connor, Wallabies Test record-holder James Slipper (144) is also set to join retired Test great George Smith in playing for Australia in two successive British and Irish Lions series.

O’Connor thought he’d been overlooked and only got the news an hour before the announcement when he stopped after a sevens coaching session at Ballymore to congratulate some other players, and Schmidt told him of his inclusion.

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“I thought he was joking,” O’Connor said, adding: “It hasn’t sunk in yet, genuinely, like it’s very surreal.

“Noah’s injury opened up a doorway for me, and even then again, I still didn’t think I’d made it so to be here right now and to be given the opportunity, I’m excited.”

With 64 Tests under his belt, O’Connor hoped to help his Test teammates deal with the pressure of facing the best of the four-nations.

“Just anything I can do to help, and that’s what I’ve sort of said to Joe in the past, any little bit of knowledge I can share,” O’Connor said.

“I know how big of an occasion, it’s bigger than a World Cup.

“You get one shot at it usually so you want your aim to be true.”

After helping the Crusaders win the Super Rugby Pacific title this year, when he came off the bench but worked as a mentor for young No.10s Rivez Reihana and Taha Kemara, O’Connor felt the season had prepared him for a Wallabies return.

“I feel like I’ve sort of been building to this for quite a while, even my role in Super Rugby and sort of tailoring it for a possible way to be able to play in the Lion series,” O’Connor said.

“I had expectations going over there, but I surpassed them massively and I understand now why the Crusaders have been such a successful club.

“Without giving too much away, it was special, I learned so much and I think I may be able to shed a little bit of light on that in this environment that might help a little bit as well.”

Schmidt said he saw how young Test playmaker Tom Lynagh benefited from O’Connor’s experience at Queensland last year, with his value reinforced in a conversation with Crusaders skipper David Havili.

“I talk to David Havili who I’ve coached and have a lot of time for his opinion and he said that James was a real help with the No.10s at the Crusaders,” Schmidt said.

“At the same time, James had played pretty solidly coming on in the back end of the games for the Crusaders.”