After Richie Mo’unga led Scott Robertson’s Crusaders to seven straight titles, the Super Rugby champions crashed back to Earth in 2024 as Penney failed to build on the momentum and his side missed the finals.
With Burke missing most of the year, 21-year-old Taha Kemara and 24-year-old Rivez Reihana, who recently signed a two-year extension, struggled in the driver’s seat as the Crusaders battled an injury crisis off the back of the departures of Mo’unga, Sam Whitelock and Leicester Fainga’anuku.
They weren’t helped by Codie Taylor’s extended leave and injuries to Scott Barrett and Burke.
Since the end of the season, the Crusaders have been busy working out how to solve their No.10 crisis.
The Crusaders looked at Tane Edmed, who is enjoying a season in the National Provincial Championship with North Harbour, as well as former Junior Wallabies utility back Mason Gordon.
But O’Connor’s decision to turn down a significantly reduced offer at the Reds appears to have seen the Crusaders pounce on the 34-year-old’s services.
O’Connor’s second stint at the Reds was widely seen as a success, with the 63-capped Wallaby leading the Super Rugby franchise to the Super Rugby AU title in 2021.
Although injuries limited his playing output in his final two seasons at the Reds, O’Connor’s leadership came to the fore where he held mentoring roles for the franchise’s emerging playmakers like Tom Lynagh, Harry McLaughlin-Phillips and Lawson Creighton.
Now, O’Connor, who has played 127 Super Rugby matches across the Reds, Rebels and Force, could be asked to fill the same role for Kemara and Reihana.
It’s not the first time O’Connor has expressed a desire to play on this side of the Tasman. He made an approach to join the Chiefs for the 2021 season, only for it to be vetoed by Rugby Australia.
O’Connor’s parents are New Zealanders, and he holds a Kiwi passport.
Although O’Connor could be picked for the Wallabies under Rugby Australia’s current Overseas Eligibility Policy, his pending move should reopen discussions regarding player eligibility for the All Blacks and Wallabies.
Currently, unless an Australian meets RA’s eligibility threshold of playing one Test for the Wallabies, they couldn’t be picked by Joe Schmidt if playing for a New Zealand Super Rugby franchise.
New Zealand Rugby’s eligibility criteria are even tougher, with All Blacks hopefuls needing to play for a New Zealand Super Rugby franchise to be able to be picked.
