‘Happy to fly straight back’: The two-day trip required for O’Connor to play Bledisloe

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James O’Connor said he was willing to fly 34,000 kilometres to play in the Bledisloe Cup opener, after the veteran playmaker was released by the Wallabies to join his new club Leicester on Monday.

O’Connor’s involvement – or otherwise – in the Bledisloe Cup series will be one of the major talking points when Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt announces his squad on Thursday for the opening trans-Tasman clash in Auckland next week.

The 35-year-old this year returned to the Wallabies squad after a three-year absence, and has impressed in starting and bench roles during The Rugby Championship.

But despite saying openly he was keen to delay his move to England and play in the upcoming two-game Bledisloe Cup series against the All Blacks, Schmidt appears likely to put his faith in Tom Lynagh, Tane Edmed and Ben Donaldson, who he described at the weekend as “inexperienced 10s”.

Having originally planned to relocate with his wife Bridget and their dog this week, O’Connor booked flights for Monday night. However, O’Connor said he was prepared to change the plans and stay, and Leicester coach Geoff Parling had approved that change, according to sources with knowledge of the situation, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

But Schmidt informed O’Connor last week, and again at the weekend after the Wallabies lost to the Pumas, that he would call him back from England if needed.

James O’Connor takes on Argentina in Townsville.

Based on the vast distances and travel logistics involved, the likelihood of O’Connor being selected to play at Eden Park on September 27 now appear slim.

The Wallabies squad is due to gather in Sydney before flying to Auckland on Sunday for the week.

But in a regular spot on The Good, the Bad and the Rugby podcast – in which O’Connor also said he was keen to play through to the 2027 World Cup – the 35-year-old said he was more than willing to jump on planes for the gruelling 51-hour trip from Sydney to London and back to Auckland.

“I want to – I have made it pretty clear I want to play [in the Bledisloe Cup],” O’Connor said in an interview recorded on Monday night.

Fraser McReight and James O’Connor after the Wallabies’ win in the third Test against the Lions.

“Joe is still talking with Leicester at the moment. I am happy to do what my dog is doing and fly under the plane to get back. I land Tuesday, England time ... we will head up to the new house and get settled in and, man, I am more than happy to fly straight back.”

As previously forecast, Will Skelton is not expected to be named for the opening Bledisloe Cup clash at Eden Park, with his French club La Rochelle playing on Monday morning (AEST), which would prevent him training with the Wallabies until Thursday.

Lynagh is set to be fit after missing the clash with the Pumas in Sydney with a tight hamstring, and Donaldson is also due to return after an abductor injury.

Halfback Jake Gordon is set to return to the squad after recovering from a hamstring injury, which means Nic White will finally start his delayed Test retirement. Len Ikitau (knee) and Nick Frost (back) are due back from niggles that kept them out of the Argentina defeat at Allianz Stadium.

O’Connor had not played a Test since 2022, but after impressing with a closer role off the bench for the Crusaders in a Super Rugby title-winning season this year, he won a recall to the Wallabies for the Lions series. O’Connor didn’t play a Test, but after injuries to Lynagh and Donaldson, he started in the Wallabies’ historic win over South Africa in Johannesburg last month, and played three more Tests in The Rugby Championship.

Schmidt praised O’Connor’s influence on and off the field, but his apparent reluctance to use the veteran in the Bledisloe series appears based on the need to give more Test experience to the young trio of Lynagh, Edmed and Donaldson, who have started nine Tests at No.10 between them.

That, in turn, appears based on long-term plans for the 2027 World Cup and a presumption that O’Connor won’t be there. But the ageing playmaker told his podcast he was feeling good and wanted to play through to the tournament.

“Honestly, I would never have thought but the way my body is feeling now, 100 per cent I want it,” O’Connor said.

O’Connor said he felt like he was building good connections with his Wallabies teammates.

“How Jorgo [Max Jorgensen] likes the ball, how ‘Su’ [Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i] likes the ball, how our back-rowers can get a second touch and get a ball away to me and get it back to me, even our locks,” O’Connor said. “I feel like I am building a good combination with these guys.”