Wallabies to take on Italy without O’Connor

The Wallabies arrived in the northern Italy city of Udine on Sunday morning without five-eighth James O’Connor, leaving Tane Edmed, Carter Gordon and utility back Hamish Stewart as the team’s playmakers.

Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has called up Exeter duo Tom Hooper and Len Ikitau for the Italy Test, but it is understood there are no plans to call up O’Connor, despite the veteran playmaker’s availability. O’Connor has played three games this season for his new club, Leicester, starting most recently in a win against Sale where he faced off against England’s George Ford.

Speaking to this masthead ahead of the England Test, former Wallabies assistant coach and current Leicester coach Geoff Parling highlighted O’Connor’s impact on his new club.

“I think when I got the (Leicester) job, I’d obviously seen him before and I gave him a call as he had a bit more experience to add to the group and he’s done well,” Parling siad.

“Again, he knows that there are things he can improve…but he’s definitely been a positive influence so far. He gives that steady, calm head when things go wrong.”

Parling met up with Schmidt and former colleagues in the Wallabies camp in London ahead of the Test, but was unsure whether O’Connor would be called up, given Carter Gordon’s presence in the squad.

Gordon trained fully in London and should be fit for selection against Italy, potentially playing his first Test since the World Cup defeat to Wales two years ago in France.

Edmed has started the last three Tests for the Wallabies, with Gordon making progress in training as he adjusts from life in the NRL, where he played one game for the Gold Coast Titans last season.