James O’Connor has made a sensational return to the Australia squad for the forthcoming Test series against the British and Irish Lions.
The veteran 64-cap back, 35, has not played for the Wallabies since 2022 but was included in a revised 36-man squad named by head coach Joe Schmidt on Friday.
O’Connor’s headline return to the international scene following a three-year absence comes after first-choice Australia fly-half Noah Lolesio was ruled out of the Lions series having undergone surgery on a neck injury sustained in last weekend’s last-gasp win over Fiji in Newcastle - their only warm-up match before facing the Lions.
That has created uncertainty around their options for the First Test in Brisbane on July 19, with the Western Force’s Ben Donaldson set to deputise for Lolesio.
He and O’Connor are joined in the squad by fellow fly-half Tom Lynagh, with no return for Bernard Foley as Tane Edmed - who will feature against the Lions for the second time this summer for an AUSNZ Invitational XV in Adelade on Saturday - also misses out.
"I feel like I've been building towards this for quite a while in my role for the Crusaders in Super Rugby, tailoring it in a way for a possible opportunity to play against the Lions," said O’Connor, who started all three Tests against the Lions on their previous successful trip Down Under in 2013.
"A Lions series is bigger than a World Cup. I didn't take it for granted in 2013, I just wasn't aware of it. You usually get one shot at it so you want your aim to be true."
Scrum-half Jake Gordon, lock Will Skelton and back-rower Rob Valetini have all been included in the Australia Test squad despite missing the win over Fiji through injury.
The Lions added Ireland’s Jamie Osborne to their camp as training cover on Thursday following the knee sprain sustained by Blair Kinghorn early on in Wednesday’s 36-24 win over the ACT Brumbies in Canberra.
Kinghorn received positive results from a scan and the Lions said their medical team would manage his return to training in the coming days, leaving him in a race against time to be fit for the First Test.
Hugo Keenan is the starting full-back against the AUNZ Invitational XV in Adelaide on Saturday, with Marcus Smith on the bench, and would likely retain his place in Brisbane if Kinghorn is not ready to return.
"Blair didn't look great against the Brumbies and it was the right thing to do to pull him off. But the scan has showed up way more positive than we'd hoped originally," said Lions defence coach Simon Easterby on Friday.
"We're hopeful that he'll take some part in training next week and then it will be a little bit of a waiting game in terms of whether he's available for the first Test.
"It will be one of those things that we'll just have to take day by day. Like a lot of these injuries throughout a tour, we'll give guys an opportunity to try and prove their fitness.
"And who knows? If it works out, great. If not, we've got good guys who are able to step up."
Australia squad for British and Irish Lions Test series
Forwards: Allan Alaalatoa, Angus Bell, Josh Canham, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Matt Faessler, Nick Frost, Langi Gleeson, Tom Hooper, Fraser McReight, Zane Nonggorr, Billy Pollard, David Porecki, Tom Robertson, Will Skelton, James Slipper, Carlo Tizzano, Taniela Tupou, Rob Valetini, Jeremy Williams, Harry Wilson
Backs: Filipo Daugunu, Ben Donaldson, Jake Gordon, Len Ikitau, Max Jorgensen, Andrew Kellaway, Tom Lynagh, James O'Connor, Hunter Paisami, Dylan Pietsch, Harry Potter, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Corey Toole, Nic White, Tom Wright
