The Crusaders appear to have found a temporary solution to their flyhalf woes, with 63-cap Wallabies veteran James O’Connor reportedly on the brink of signing with the 14-time Super Rugby champions for the 2025 season.

According to reports from Newstalk ZB and the New Zealand Herald, the 34-year-old playmaker is in the final stages of finalizing a move to Christchurch, following last month's announcement of his departure from the Queensland Reds to join an "overseas club."

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A Crusaders spokesperson confirmed discussions with O’Connor but declined to provide additional details. The 11 Super Rugby squads are expected to be officially announced by the end of October.

This isn’t O’Connor’s first attempt to join a New Zealand team; he previously expressed interest in joining the Chiefs for the 2021 season, but Rugby Australia blocked the transfer.

Born to New Zealand parents, O’Connor holds a Kiwi passport and made his Super Rugby debut as a 17-year-old with the Western Force in 2008, before becoming the second-youngest Wallaby in history later that year.

Throughout his career, O’Connor has accumulated 127 Super Rugby appearances across stints with the Force, the now-defunct Melbourne Rebels, and the Reds. He also played in Europe for clubs such as Toulon and the Sale Sharks.

The Crusaders have been searching for a first-five replacement since Fergus Burke's departure to Saracens in July. Burke missed most of the 2024 season due to an Achilles injury, further compounding the team's issues after Richie Mo’unga’s move to Japan. In his absence, the Crusaders rotated five different players in the No. 10 jersey throughout the season: Rivez Reihana, Taha Kemara, David Havili, Riley Hohepa, and Burke.

These challenges contributed to the Crusaders missing the Super Rugby playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade, with just four wins from 14 matches.

If the deal is finalised, O’Connor wouldn’t be the Crusaders' first high-profile overseas signing. Wales international Leigh Halfpenny was recruited recently, but a severe chest injury restricted him to just one regular season appearance in May.

In the past, other notable overseas players like O’Connor’s former Wallabies teammate Digby Ioane, who played three matches for the Crusaders in 2017, and Argentine loose forward Pablo Matera, who became a fan favorite during the team’s 2022 championship-winning season, have also joined the club.

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