Reds coach Les Kiss couldn’t help a wry grin when the inevitable James O’Connor question popped up.
The man who represented Queensland 68 times has been a revelation for Rob Penney's Crusaders in 2025, both as a cool-headed finisher and mentor to young flyhalf duo Taha Kemara and Rivez Reihana.
Watch the SMARTECH Super Rugby Pacific finals live and on-demand via Stan Sport.
Meanwhile, Kiss’ side are now without two recognised playmakers for Friday’s qualifying final against the Crusaders following Harry McLaughlin-Phillips’s head knock against the Drua, leaving regular fullback Jock Campbell to cover flyhalf Tom Lynagh.
A true rugby irony, then, that the man who last year would’ve stepped into the Reds' breach is instead plotting their demise.
“He’s been brilliant there, hasn’t he?” Kiss said of O’Connor during Wednesday’s press conference.
“I can only say good things about James. He was good here (in Queensland) … and he’s gone over there and done a similar job for their young 10s.
“We’ll keep an eye on him. He’s done a great job in finishing games off whether they’ve been in front or behind [so] hopefully we can give him a bigger headache than he wants.
"I hope he’s coming in trying to save the game or trying to find points and we can close him out.
“Tom (Lynagh) has had a very good season so far … It’s a challenge but he’s up for it. He hasn’t failed a challenge yet from what I’ve seen,” Kiss added.
Flyhalves and former teammates aren’t the only headaches facing Kiss and his coaching staff at Apollo Projects Stadium.
While Queensland have managed without Test quartet Matt Faessler (hamstring), Josh Nasser (shoulder), Liam Wright (shoulder) and Seru Uru (knee), it’s the Reds’ prop stocks that are greatest cause for concern.
Injuries to veteran Alex Hodgman and rising star Massimo De Lutiis have fast-tracked Nick Bloomfield, 21, into the Super Rugby Pacific arena with the two-cap tighthead now set to face All Blacks trio Tamaiti Williams, Fletcher Newell and George Bower.
“Nick has been in our system all year – he’s worked day-in day-out against the big boys on our pitch,” Kiss said of Bloomfield.
"He’s a young man but he’s a confident young man, we saw that against the Drua. He was up against Peni Ravai who’s a seasoned man and probably got 12kg on him and he scrummed very well against him so we’ve got a lot of confidence in him … he’s had to step up and he’s been fantastic for us.”
Queensland fans have been buoyed by Harry Wilson’s inclusion but Kiss knows his Reds will have to defy history if they’re to overturn a 0-19 Australian finals record in New Zealand.
“We’re going to have to be in good form, have to take a few hits,” Kiss said.
"We might be on the ropes a few times but we’ve just got a belief we can fight back from those moments."
And as for O'Connor?
“Good luck to him," Kiss laughed.
"But just not too much on Friday night."
