{"id":424399,"date":"2024-10-01T22:39:11","date_gmt":"2024-10-01T22:39:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=424399"},"modified":"2024-10-01T23:08:15","modified_gmt":"2024-10-01T23:08:15","slug":"oconnor-set-for-bombshell-move-to-new-zealand","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=424399","title":{"rendered":"O'Connor set for bombshell move to New Zealand"},"content":{"rendered":"

Former Wallabies star James O'Connor is set to realise a long-held ambition by signing with the Crusaders<\/a> in Super Rugby Pacific.<\/p>\n

O'Connor last month announced he was leaving the Queensland Reds<\/a> after five years to "pursue overseas opportunities."<\/p>\n

The Reds said they made the 34-year-old playmaker<\/a> an offer to stay but it was not accepted.\ufeff<\/p>\n

Watch the Wallabies and Wallaroos with every match streaming ad free, live and on demand<\/strong><\/em> on the home of rugby, Stan Sport<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

\"James<\/p>\n

And the New Zealand Herald is now reporting that the veteran of 63 Tests will move to Christchurch for the 2025 season.<\/p>\n

O'Connor's parents are from NZ and he was close to joining the Chiefs in 2021.\ufeff<\/a><\/p>\n

"I think it would be an unreal opportunity to go and play in that Aotearoa comp. What they did over there was pretty special," O'Connor told 9News at the time.<\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> Dusty's two-word answer to Suns speculation<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> IPL crackdown confirmed as two-year bans loom<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> 'Alleged leak' creates 'ill feeling' between rival clubs<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

\"Wallabies<\/p>\n

A Crusaders spokesperson said they had been talking to O'Connor but couldn't provide any further comment.<\/p>\n

The Super Rugby squads are expected to be publicly announced in full at the end of October.<\/p>\n

O'Connor, who did a lengthy podcast interview with Crusaders assistant coach James Marshall this year, would join 21-year-old Taha Kemara and 24-year-old Rivez Reihana in Christchurch.<\/p>\n

NEW PODCAST! Sean Maloney, Stephen Hoiles and Michael Hooper reflect on the Bledisloe Cup and preview the Spring Tour<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

https:\/\/omny.fm\/shows\/between-two-posts-1\/the-rugby-championship-wrap\/embed?in_playlist=podcast&style=Cover<\/a><\/p>\n

It's understood the Crusaders have closed the door on All Blacks utility David Havili playing No.10 again, leaving them in need of experience alongside the unproven Kemara and Reihana.<\/p>\n

Kemara is a highly touted prospect the Crusaders have had high hopes for but his confidence took a hit this year and he spent a portion of the Super Rugby season playing club rugby.<\/p>\n

O'Connor would give the Crusaders a veteran option, one who has played 127 Super Rugby games for the Western Force, Melbourne Rebels and Reds – as well as London Irish, Toulon and Sale.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Former Wallabies star James O'Connor is set to realise a long-held ambition by signing with the Crusaders in Super Rugby Pacific. O'Connor last month announced […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":424403,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/424399"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=424399"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/424399\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":424410,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/424399\/revisions\/424410"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/424403"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=424399"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=424399"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=424399"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}