URC side emerge as shock favourites to land James O'Connor

The Sharks have emerged as shock favourites to land veteran Wallabies fly-half James O’Connor when his contract with Gallagher PREM title chasers Leicester Tigers runs out this summer.

Sharks coach JP Pietersen has switched his attentions to O’Connor, 35, after missing out on Italy international Tommaso Allan, 33, who at the end of last week announced that he was joining United Rugby Championship outfit Zebre.

The Sharks were very keen on signing Allan, who played twice for the Azzurri during the Six Nations and is leaving Top 14 side Perpignan when his current deal expires at the end of June.

O’Connor, who will be 36 in July, has played club rugby in England, Australia, New Zealand and France in a long career that began in Australia with West Harbour in 2013 before moving to London Irish, but hasn’t played for a South African club.

He signed a one-year deal with the Tigers last summer to replace Springbok international Handré Pollard when he returned to the Bulls, but has been forced to play second fiddle to Billy Searle, who has firmly established himself as their first-choice fly-half.

A hamstring injury has also restricted him to starting five games, one of them against Newcastle Red Bulls in the PREM Cup, which came at full-back, and he picked up a winners’ medal in the competition, coming off the bench and scoring a try against Exeter Chiefs.

O’Connor’s name has been floating around clubs around the globe since the start of the year and was linked with the Red Bulls before they signed up Zack Henry from Stade Français when his deal ends in the summer.

According to the South African publication Rapport, Pietersen is looking at O’Connor because Jean Smith has decided to join the Italian club Benetton, and Luan Giliomee has signed for the Bulls.

While Jordan Hendrikse was invited by Rassie Erasmus to his last alignment camp, they need some experienced cover and are planning to have more talks with O’Connor.