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EWEN McKenzie believes James O'Connor can still play a record 150 Tests for the Wallabies but only if he doesn't run away from his off-field problems.
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Speaking in Argentina where Australia are preparing to play the Pumas on Sunday (AEST), McKenzie said he had spoken with O'Connor yesterday about his choice between taking a massive pay-cut and playing for the Force, or heading offshore for a European or Japanese club.
After being told he would lose a $500,000 ARU contract in 2014 O'Connor faces a test of character, believes McKenzie.
"I've encouraged him (to stay). He can run and go and do something else, or he can stay and fight his way back into the Australian rugby scene," McKenzie said.
"I'm not closing the door on him in that sense but he has to obviously fulfil the criteria in terms of playing Super Rugby but also he has to modify behaviour.
"He'll understand that it's a fairly big moment for him ...but it's also a great opportunity for him if he wants to embrace the behavioural side which is the bit I'm interested in.
"He's a bloody good footballer. I've said to him he's quite capable of playing 150 Tests if he wants to but he isn't going to if he doesn't get his off-field stuff sorted."
Aged 23, O'Connor has already played in 44 Tests since debuting at age 18 in 2008. He could conceivably cruise past George Gregan's world record of 139 Test caps - or whoever holds it in a decade - if he stays in Australia and on the straight and narrow.
McKenzie pointed out O'Connor had made noticeable improvement in his behaviour and efforts to contribute to Wallabies team culture since he took over, but the Perth airport incident left him with no choice but to initially suspend the winger.
"I'm interested in him as a person. He's obviously a very good footballer but I think the football bit is the easy bit. The other bits over time would suggest that's a harder fix but fixable nonetheless," McKenzie said.
"He's playing snakes and ladders and he's tumbled down a ladder and now he's got to climb again."
Asked if he felt the penny had finally dropped with O'Connor this week, McKenzie said: "I think he understands."
"He's been around for five years so there has obviously been a bunch of incidents but he has continued to be involved (in the team)," he said.
"Well, now he's not involved. I think that's a fairly substantial message. It doesn't matter how you end your time when you're not playing any player who's injured for a period of time or not picked, they'll al tell you the same thing, that they miss it. They miss it big time. They miss their mates, they miss the camaraderie, they miss the whole environment."
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