Donaldson: What James O’Connor does better than other Wallabies 10s

James O’Connor completed a remarkable return to the Wallabies earlier this year, after helping the Crusaders reclaim their champions’ throne in Super Rugby Pacific. While ‘Rabs’ won’t feature against France this weekend, the playmaker’s impact in 2025 hasn’t gone unnoticed.

Coach Joe Schmidt is set to make yet another change in the starting fly-half role for Australia’s final Test of the Quilter Nations Series. O’Connor wore the No. 10 jersey in last Saturday’s 46-19 defeat to Ireland, but the 35-year-old has been released from the national squad.

Code-hopper Carter Gordon and Brumbies-bound Tane Edmed are the contenders to start in that role, as they have done once each this month. Edmed was named in the run-on side against England, before Gordon returned to the Test arena against Italy in Udine.

Noah Lolesio was the first man to start at fly-half for the Wallabies in 2025, suiting up against Fiji in Newcastle before suffering a devastating injury. Ben Donaldson has provided playmaking cover on the bench in four Tests, while Tom Lynagh started in all three Lions Series fixtures.

Donaldson suffered an injury in August and hasn’t been recalled by the top squad since, instead lining up for Australia A against a Japan XV a few weeks ago. ‘Dono’ has highlighted what O’Connor does better than any of the Wallabies’ other fly-halves.

“You’ve got to adapt and play what’s in front. That’s probably one thing that myself and the 10s haven’t done well with the Wallabies,” Donaldson said on the KOKO Show, as seen on RugbyPass TV.

“Rabs has probably done it the best as he comes in and sometimes he’s gone away from the game plan, he plays something he sees just off the cuff because that’s how he plays.

“That’s another part to it. There’s definitely parts that I can probably work on at the Force, what the Wallabies are also looking for.”

Donaldson started at fly-half in 12 of 13 appearances for the Force last season, with that one bench appearance coming against the Fijian Drua in round 14. The Force’s season began with Donaldson scoring a sensational match-winner at home to Moana Pasifika in round one.

After the Super Rugby Pacific season, Donaldson was named in the Wallabies’ squad. Lolesio wore the No.10 against the Flying Fijians, before Lynagh stepped up as Australia’s new starting pivot against the British & Irish Lions – while Donaldson remained an impact player.

Donaldson played 47 minutes in the third Test win over the Lions in Sydney but hasn’t taken the field since for the Wallabies. After returning to the Force for Super Rugby AUS, Donaldson has opened up about the feedback from Wallabies coach Schmidt.

“Ever since I got injured in South Africa, obviously, I haven’t been back in the squad since then so Joe gave me a bit of feedback,” Donaldson explained.

“They were happy with the boys who had been in there after I got injured and [I] went back and played the Super Rugby AU, probably didn’t play my best footy there which is probably another reason why I didn’t get back into the squad.

“A bit of feedback from Joe around physicality, contact, high ball work in the air. Other than that, he just said he was happy with the guys and here I am.

“… I think my game style, the way I play, I like to try things and express myself and move the ball and sometimes that comes with errors… I think just my consistency hasn’t been great whether it’s in Super or for the Wallabies.”