The ultimate redemption of James O'Connor | Wide World of Sports

[@Boog13886]

Can't fault the guy for getting his act together and now he's seeing the rewards come to fruition.

[@andyhunter5869]

I'll think you'll find he got his QLD together LOL

[@willk1756]

Turn the clocks back ten years and O'Connor was one of the most exciting broken field runners in the game. Seeing a pretty diminutive guy step defender after defender made me decide to get into rugby. So pleased to see his redemption.

[@adamknight5089]

Great to see him turn things around, always loved the guy, amazing player and will be a big boost for the Wallabies

[@darrens7040]

You led from the front last night in the AU final well done and well done getting back on track!!

[@uluibaut]

"To be number one again"...now thats setting a goal. Go for it James.

[@rchw8052]

Good on you mate. Kudos from NZ.

[@teebrinner5939]

Good on you too!!! Yiur a good kiwi bloke

[@bensmusic1858]

Good on you Jimmy. Glad you've found your purpose and realized there's more to life than footy and fame. It's made you a better leader and player. Wishing you the best and i'd love to see you lead the wallabies out!

[@hikosaemon]

As a Kiwi, last thing I want to do is like the Aussie captain. But yeah, this changed my mind a lot about him. Good guy and good to have him back.

[@Sulu-sw3zo]

It has been wonderful to see the re-birth of JOC in Australian Rugby. Much respect to him for making some massive life changes, and learning from past mistakes. All the best to him and Aussie rugby, from NZ.

[@countryheart5521]

Met him at our local club last week, so personable and so great with the young kids. Kids were thrilled to meet him.

[@poerava]

Brilliant PR piece. Needed to be done. So why did he go off the rails? Is there a longer video of this?

[@martinpye549]

He's come back from the abyss. Fair play to the man.

[@sisi5444]

theres no cocaine in the abyss

[@greggore1503]

I will never forget In the last few moments of the 2011 world cup semi-final, SA vs OZ, SA needs to score to win and Pierre Spies brakes down the blind side straight at O'Connor. What happened next is an Immortal rugby moment for O'Connor, he stops Spies dead in his tracks and in style sealing the win for OZ. Beautiful moment that earned this guy respect from rugby fans from all countries I'm sure. I'm South African and James O'Connor is a rugby legend.

[@oliverkane728]

i guess you've forgotten about the quarter final though lol

[@greggore1503]

@@oliverkane728 What you on about mate 🤔

[@oliverkane728]

@@greggore1503 South Africa lost in the quarters

[@greggore1503]

@@oliverkane728 Oh right yeah I had forgotten about that mate thanks for reminding me 🤣

[@kalaharisafari7648]

Any Saffer that calls other men “mate” is not a Saffer but a wanna be Aussie

[@rfggibson]

If Brad Thorne is behind him, he's the real deal.

[@petenmarg]

Its all about Belief

[@harrycurtis6609]

Been following your journey for a while bro 🙏 love to see the hardwork

[@harrycurtis6609]

@@adoskorkados3012 👌

[@jlemoto676]

Wow that’s deep ... god bless ya brother

[@Robrulz666icloud]

God bless ??? He should take your god bless and put it up his nose Redemption??? Brother ??? I would shed a tear for him but can’t find 1 it’s just another sob story of having to much ego and not enough heart. God bess those club players workin 2 jobs raising a family and playing because there heart just loves the pure joy of the game.

[@thomasamos9756]

This should be an hour long

[@ronaldwhite5670]

Good onya young fella. I hope you’re there, I hope you think you are there. Be strong, listen to that voice that I know you’ve got, you know it’s there, it will guide you to a happy, successful future. Cheers, be strong!!!

[@elduderino3236]

Respect brother

[@wintertimetrio]

Jesus that was more intense than I was expecting

[@tonyjoesephbourke7786]

Hey bro mind the language Jesus Christ is Lord he loves you and died in the cross for your sins cry out to Jesus for help for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life

[@thomasveysey7363]

@@tonyjoesephbourke7786 u sound fun

[@chris5240]

@@tonyjoesephbourke7786 You're brainwashed, you must realize that? Right?

[@angelojacobs7814]

Beautiful JIMMY respect ✊ man god bless jimmy

[@thedappercook]

Awful, awful questions.

[@nlaikum]

I know right. So terrible it made you feel something.

[@dt-ip8gf]

Bravo !! God Bless You

[@0P9ine]

Bruhh it was super rugby gf and not a single promotion about it....why does this Sport not help itself?🤯

[@seamusmackinlay7960]

there were 40000 fans at Suncorp mate...

[@0P9ine]

@@seamusmackinlay7960 of course there is it's Brisbane. Other codes do so much better at promotion it's not even close. No wonder Australian rugby nearly went bankrupt last year

[@sambingham1196]

They're pathetic, never showed have signed away with Foxtel all those years ago.

[@TheSpooky72]

As a kiwi I’ve always liked James as a player, loved his old man playing League as well, good on him and wish him well 👍🏽

[@theofarmmanager267]

Rugby is important but nothing compared to someone finding his way through the maze of life and getting to like himself. Some do it sooner; some later and some never. I hope that JOC continues to smile through his life as it encounters the ups and downs.

[@jakemanmoanaroa8345]

A great player, could still become even greater and has matured very well in the game... everyone battles their demons at some point, but the fact that you're still there speaks volumes mate...if any team can turn the TransTasman cup it's the Red's!

[@adoskorkados3012]

Unoriginal and uninspiring generic comment, he's average and will always be. He's too small, physically and mentally.

[@dazzledcaroline]

Did a great job for Sale and was sad to see him go. Glad its worked out for him.

[@PatRick-qi9so]

Redemption indeed

[@acadoe]

Always was a special talent. Only person I know of that could have gotten a cap for AUS, SA or NZ.

[@donnybrascocoliogne819]

Everyone makes mistakes & is Judged by the Scale of it...LIVE n LEARN, LEARN n LIVE coz we only live ONCE.

[@vivec1077]

He should have been arrested for that haircut, not the coke

[@washbaydes99]

Good man James, keep it together bro

[@WQ4C]

Respect!

[@neilcollins5930]

Good luck to the lad...lets wait and see.

[@KernowekTim]

Good man. The cream usually rises to the top, eventually. God loves a sinner come to his understanding. Rugby loves a winner. You've beaten your demons and you have risen up and succeeded. All the best James; respect.

[@nobrainer5117]

All the best James

[@aperaruapeeta4309]

Would have been like a Cameron Munster if he played rugby league

[@nicholaskearney678]

Good man, you look happy.

[@randallsmith525]

Amen!

[@19rimoni46]

It would be easy to stumble being in the eyes of the media playing top tier footy at a young age. Props to him. Excellent player. All blacks fan though lol

[@michaelmcmahon3436]

What a bloke

[@maximl8820]

Good bloke

[@joedennehy386]

We used to call him justin bieber, you could rely on him to stuff something up, he was such a knob. Its great to see him redeem himself, and to be accepted by Brad Thorne means he is the real deal. Good on him

[@sutherlandsharks7376]

Sexual lust!! the dirt of our time the thing that gets people depressed with mental problems

[@joedennehy386]

@@sutherlandsharks7376 something tells me you are a god botherer

[@sutherlandsharks7376]

@@joedennehy386 I'm just speaking facts mate lol

[@joedennehy386]

@@sutherlandsharks7376 you are a god botherer aren't you. You are a born again Christian?

[@sutherlandsharks7376]

@@joedennehy386 my opinion lol you said James was Justin Beiber... ofcourse he was to Australia with the blonde bleached hair it was mind control for the young girls and maybe boys. It's good he changed but his past was full of coke, women, alcohol etc now we need James to go to schools around brissy and speak about lust and point them in the right direction. Anyways 😂

[@19-1-91]

' reason is the root of virtue '

[@poerava]

Please explain

[@19-1-91]

@@poerava he found his 'purpose' which in turn gave him moral excellence

[@poerava]

@CTA 191 Ah. Gotcha. Not sure ‘reason’ is required for that one but I get what you are saying. Still just seems like a bit of a ‘I grew up and stopped being a spoiled brat karnt’ kinda blow up. Don’t you think?

[@19-1-91]

@@poerava ur not wrong there lol

[@zt5140]

Top man. Growen into a good man n player

[@henrygreen9000]

Yeah good on you for getting your career back on track. You went through a dark spot doing hard drugs etc. I consider the likes of Israel Faloau who made one comment from the Bible and was treated like the black plague and still to this day. I guess we live our lives completely different now. What's wrong is right and what's right is wrong.

[@Alex-pt5no]

'one comment from the bible', you mean a comment that homosexuals should be viewed as wrong in the eyes of Christians? Oconnor - like anyone - is free to f**k up his own life. What Folau did was preach against society accepting others.

[@box_-zk2qs]

The thing is tho mate it’s the modern day and things like that is unacceptable sure he made a mistake and got Warned but doing it a second time? That’s more than a mistake

[@PontyclunBosomPals]

Rugby is an amazing inclusive sport precisely because it doesn’t reflect Folau’s outdated concepts and beliefs

[@ethanwaitforitdavis]

Skipped over the massive part where Folau actively broadcasted these discriminatory comments on more than one occasion to his thousands of followers - more so the young fans who looked up to him. Rugby should be about inclusion not high profile players going out of their way to discriminate!

[@patricktaliauli1063]

I wish they can do a Reds Vs crusaders match. Just one off!!

[@TheJonkerr7]

Isn't that coming mate? I read today that the NZ teams are coming over? That will be great to watch and the Aussie teams will be more compettive than for some time maybe!

[@clutchxgene8477]

@@TheJonkerr7 yup the reds are playing the crusaders next week at Suncorp but the New Zealand teams aren't just going to Aus there's games in New Zealand aswell

[@patricktaliauli1063]

@@TheJonkerr7 I think you’re right. Not sure how this thing is working. Just read that N.Z and Aussie teams will be playing each other. Reds vs Highlanders first.

[@TheJonkerr7]

@@clutchxgene8477 oh cool! Expected results after the games over the weekend but really good to watch IMHO and our sides got a bit closer than they have for some time...hopefully augers well for an improved internastional competition too

[@clutchxgene8477]

@@TheJonkerr7 Yea I think the Australian teams will do a lot better this week than last week

[@stockey50bro59]

Kia kaha..

[@Lord_of_the_wingz]

Champion

[@JP-qn4uo]

Would make a great Wallabies captain!

[@ericipat7637]

O'Connor is one of the Australia's best player l have ever seen !!!!

[@arza0932]

Wondered where ol mate went ??! Remembered he played for wallabies ect

[@NathanAAASmith]

He had so much playing potential but you could tell he just wasn’t quite right mentally. If only the Wallabies got it right with the likes of Genia, Beale, O’Conner, Cooper etc at that time.

[@fitfirst4468]

what about quade cooper

[@danielsinden104]

James It is wonderful when someone overcome the lie, but to walk in VICTORY, if you have not done it JESUS is all in all, make him the centre of your life!

[@TheJonkerr7]

Go away. The guy has matured, found the right people to be around, understands what matters to him, all without your religion - by all means have your faith BUT STOP pushing your beliefs onto others.

[@thomasclark6642]

Don’t push your religion onto others

[@xEvander685]

Jesus is the way the truth and the life the only way to heaven JESUS IS THE 1 TRUE GOD

[@TheJonkerr7]

@@xEvander685 same to you...go away.

[@lesblase3667]

The only good thing ARU have done

[@coremeister]

Shouldn't have left Te Atatu mate!

[@samuelgamato971]

@Jonny Blaze 🤣🤣🤣

[@hellovanite]

@Mako VuniPolarBear lol

[@lesblase3667]

Never be 1 again. We’re levels ahead

[@warrenvanaswegen8565]

Maybe the Ozzie cricketers who new "nothing" about sandpaper gate ,should learn from this .The truth will set you free.

[@markedgar5031]

mayb you can't read/ it's about rugby

[@warrenvanaswegen8565]

@@markedgar5031 Is that your most intelligent response .Truth hurts ,have you ever played cricket?

[@alexsmith3993]

The sexual tension in this hahaha

[@KingKong-xt9fk]

Now can we all agree to bring Israel Falau back and make Australian Rugby great again???

[@sisi5444]

oh woah he bought some cocaine what a redemption story. gimme a break

[@cessna04.79]

The lie : Reds in Super Rugby AU The reality : Reds in Super Rugby Trans-Tasman

[@HenryDube72]

Australian rugby in Super Ruby AU vs Australian rugby in Super Rugby Trans-Tasman

[@bremCZ]

I really don't understand people that need a purpose in their life to be able to live as decent people. You live and you die, just be good to others while you're alive and your job is done.

[@ryankeane8656]

If there is no purpose, there is no reason to even be kind

[@bremCZ]

@@ryankeane8656 Of course there is.

[@aboycalledjohn]

Mouth-breathing is not setting a good example.

[@pablovila2422]

I am sorry but if you call that a good interviewer with her horrible questions then I am missing something!

[@barry2924]

What lie was he living?

[@sbrother176]

Reds having most wallabies in it was hammered by crusaders. Lol

[@markedgar5031]

nothing to do with this piece soulless brother

[@adammortell2588]

#1 again. Hahaha.

[@AreLL]

Sadly that'll never happen. Ritchie Mounga ripped the Reds to shreds single handedly in the weekend, so I'm going to say thats a glimpse of what the ALL BLACKS will be handing out for the Wallabies. all the best to you James u are a great Aussie player.

[@kalaharisafari7648]

Australia rugby is hitting rock bottom if they want to make this kid a captain🤣😂🤣

[@Robrulz666icloud]

Poor didems

[@danielcostello8703]

James is a legend

[@damosanchex]

You wonder why there is a mental health crisis in Australia when you have comments like this.

[@lyalminchinton8825]

Robert Simpson , loves balls on chin.😂😂

[@Robrulz666icloud]

@@damosanchex mental health???? Poor didems lay back on the couch and breathe in and stop breathing 😮‍💨

[@Robrulz666icloud]

@@lyalminchinton8825 anytime you want or feel the need to try I would be happy to meet and see just how you intend on doing that tough guy.