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O'Connor ready to prove doubters wrong again

Article Published: Friday 30 July 2010

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New Wallaby winger James O'Connor is being seen as the weak link in the Wallaby team when Australia face New Zealand in the TriNations.

Last week O'Connor managed to keep Springbok superstar Bryan Habana in check and this week the 20-year-old will be marking Joe Rokocoko.

New Zealand's `Rocket Man', is set to overtake former All Black greats Jonah Lomu and John Kirwan as the All Blacks most-capped winger and enjoys a significant size and experience advantage over O'Connor.

But Rokocoko who has won 64 Test caps for the All Blacks is fearful that he could be shown up but the wing who he likened to Welsh wizard Shane Williams.

"They're so elusive smaller wingers," Rokocoko told AAP.

"I'd rather mark someone who is solid and big, than someone who is small and nippy.

"They can step off both feet and run really sharply, so he'll be a handful."

O'Connor is 10cm shorter and 14kg lighter than Rokocoko but was pleased to hear Big Joe's concerns.

"I guess I would say the opposite because I'm the smaller bloke," said O'Connor.

"The bigger blokes are tougher and especially when you have a bit of speed on you as well."

What does seem certain to happen in the match is that the All Blacks will be targeting O'Connor after he was terrorised by Dan Carter's kicks in his run-on Bledisloe Cup debut in Wellington last year in a 33-6 thumping by the All Blacks.

O'Connor is expecting more of the same and said, "Carter can put up a good high ball so I'll be ready for that," he said.

"Carter's got the ball on a string." he said about Carter's kicks which land just as their chasers arrive.

 
 
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