Former Wallabies fly-half James O’Connor has signed with the Crusaders for the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season.
At 34 years old, O’Connor has played 64 tests for Australia and accumulated over 120 Super Rugby caps with the Western Force, Melbourne Rebels, and most recently, the Queensland Reds. He has scored nearly 250 points for his national team.
As a versatile back, O’Connor will join the Crusaders as a fly-half, competing alongside Rivez Reihana and Taha Kemara. The Canterbury-based franchise is optimistic that O’Connor will bring both valuable experience on the field and mentorship off the field.
“I’m really excited to be joining the Crusaders for the 2025 season and eager to test myself in a new environment,” O’Connor stated. “Throughout my career, I’ve heard so much about the Crusaders’ culture and innovation. Experiencing it first-hand and learning a new way of playing the game is something I’m looking forward to.”
Crusaders head coach Rob Penney praised O’Connor as a “world-class and ambitious athlete.” He expressed that the team saw an opportunity to offer O’Connor a new and challenging environment.
“With two exciting and talented players like Rivez and Taha, James brings a level of maturity that will complement them exceptionally well. His international experience and participation in various overseas competitions will greatly benefit our squad as we look forward to what he can contribute from his 17 seasons of professional football. His competitive nature will also ensure there is strong competition for the fly-half position.”
O’Connor is expected to join the Crusaders shortly before the squad’s first pre-season game, with details regarding the date and opponent to be announced later this month.