Seeking a Touch of Controversy: James O’Connor Embraces Silence as Struggling Reds Remain ‘Too Blunt’ to Speak

The absence of casual banter was evident when James O’Connor made his entrance onto the Christchurch field on Sunday afternoon.

The scoreboard displayed Crusaders 36, Reds 19 after 62 minutes, with O’Connor tasked with the role of game manager rather than game disruptor for his new team.

O’Connor, a Wallabies star with New Zealand roots who transitioned from Queensland to the Crusaders during the off-season, had anticipated a bit more light-hearted exchange.

“Not much conversation, really,” he reflected after the Crusaders secured a 43-19 victory, leapfrogging the Reds into fourth place on the Super Rugby Pacific table.

“Everyone was pretty knackered, you know. It’s a fast-paced game, the sun was shining and there’s been a lot of metres clocked up, so I came on feeling pretty fresh.

“I wanted to stir the pot a bit, but the boys were just… well, nothing much happening.”

Last year, the Reds ended a 25-year winless streak in Christchurch, but the Crusaders were determined to avoid a repeat.

“In all honesty, I didn’t make too many contributions, I probably got involved in more breakdowns than I have in an entire season,” O’Connor noted.

“But we secured the win, and I’m absolutely thrilled about that.”

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O’Connor and the Reds shared a jovial lead-up to the match, with the experienced player having playfully warned his old teammates that he would be calling out their backline strategies.

Reds flanker Liam Wright retaliated by joking that O’Connor had declined their invitations for a coffee catch-up during his time in Christchurch.

“I did invite the other boys over but, no, that’s a good gag,” O’Connor admitted.

“He got me on that one because we were going back and forth a bit, but he got busy, it wasn’t my fault.”

On a more serious note, O’Connor, who hails from the Gold Coast, expressed his support for those affected by Cyclone Alfred.

“They’re just hunkering down, but I’m hearing some uplifting news coming from it,” he shared.

“I’ve seen some wild videos too. There are guys out surfing, but my heart goes out to everyone back home. I hope the damage is minimal, especially on the Gold Coast.”

Reds coach Les Kiss also had a cheeky remark for his former player.

“I’m just relieved he didn’t score a try. But I’ve spoken with the coaches here and they’ve been very impressed with his performance, and we wish him all the best,” Kiss added.