If there’s one thing international rugby union and rugby league have in common these days, it’s that they bear absolutely no resemblance to the forms they took back in Michael O’Connor’s playing days.

Chasing the action for the Kangaroos in ‘86 Chasing the action for the Kangaroos in ‘86.
Image: Getty Images

Gone are the lengthy ’Roo tours and Wallaby grand slam tour pre-Test clashes, when goalkicking and tryscoring freaks like “Snoz” could roam the old country piling on 170 points through 13 tries and 59 goals, like he did in the Kangaroos’ visit there in ’86. Just 23 days will separate the ’Roos first and last games in the inaugural Four-Nations tournament this month, while the Wallabies will wrap their Spring Tour up 29 days after their opening Test against the All Blacks in Tokyo. Few men cover the rugby codes spectrum as well as current national rugby sevens coach O’Connor. He’s a busy man. He shared his thoughts on Australia’s chances of union and league success in Blighty in ’09 with Inside Sport while at Sydney airport during a single-day stop in the harbour city (he’d flown in from Perth that morning) before jetting to join the lads in camp at Canberra.

Your young charges start their campaign in the latest IRB Sevens World Series on December 4-5 in Dubai … Did you ever think you’d one day be mentoring the national sevens squad?

“Not really, not until Robbie Deans was appointed to coach the 15s, anyway. I’d always had an underlying feeling that we could be doing more with sevens, using it as an effective way of developing and fast-tracking players into Super 14 and Wallaby teams. When Robbie was appointed, for the first time in a number of years we had a coach who had seen what sevens can do. New Zealand’s system has produced a number of All Blacks. They’ve been world sevens champs I think on about eight occasions. Robbie was very important to the whole concept of Australia seriously concentrating on sevens, the fact he felt it’s a good thing for the 15s game.

Mike O'Connor Mike O'Connor. Image: News Pix

“There’s always been a belief in Australian rugby that sevens is a different animal altogether and therefore not suitable for 15s preparation. Whereas Robbie’s opinion is different, as is mine. I think sevens is a wonderful avenue – from a talent ID perspective, that’s my background – to develop opportunities for young players coming out of under-20s and colts who would otherwise just be playing suburban football.”

The current Wallaby line-up proves different “animals” can work together to nurture talent, yes?

“Drew Mitchell’s played sevens, Peter Hynes has played sevens – he was a very good sevens player. James O’Connor, Matt Giteau, Adam Ashley-Cooper. They were all sevens players.”

Considering how fast and furious the action can get, what on Earth do you tell your players before they hit the turf for a sevens game?

“I think the most important things for players to have are athleticism, fitness, and the ability to be across all the major disciplines of the game. You can’t be deficient in one area. It’s a little bit like basketball – you only need one person to let you down. Everybody has to be on-song: they have to be fit, they have to be effective at the tackle and at the breakdown. You have to have that desire to get off the ground and work hard.”