BY JOHN DAVIDSON
Former Great Britain prop Terry O’Connor says England have to “hijack” Australia in the first Test, stressing they must get a result in the first game if they are to make history and win the Ashes.
O’Connor played in the 2001 Ashes against the Kangaroos. England or Great Britain haven’t won the trophy since 1970, but the front-rower insists: “Anything can happen in a Test series. Anyone who’s played in a Test series will tell you how important game one is, because it relieves the pressure.
“If you lose in game one, you’re under pressure straight away. When you haven’t won a series in so long that ghost is always with you.
“So if you know you lose game one the pressure is on game two. And at half-time of game two if things aren’t going right, you’re really under the pump.
“England have to hijack them. I’m sure the lads, knowing them how I know them, they’ll always get up for game one because they know the history behind it.
“They know when they were young running around the parks pretending to be an Andy Farrell or a Jason Robinson, or whether it may be, you were thinking one of the greats on the TV.
“So the history is always there and international rugby is massive. It’s always been a big deal about playing the Aussies and playing in an Ashes series, because it doesn’t get any bigger than that.
“And when you’re in a privileged position, through hard work, and you put on an English jersey and play the Aussies, it’s the best of the best. You’re the best and no one can take that away from you.
“I think the lads will be absolutely frothing at the mouth to get out there and play in this one, because they know they can be part of the history and go down as the first to win the Ashes in 55 years.”
The British Ashes drought stretches back to 1973 when Graeme Langlands’ Kangaroos won back the trophy on UK soil. Australia have not relinquished it since.
But O’Connor believes that losing run can be used as a positive motivating force for England.
“You’re closer to winning one,” he said.
“We are nearer to winning the series. That’s what inspires you as a player. You want to be part of the change in history.
“We’ve got some big fellas who can do some big minutes. You look at the likes of Matty Lees and Morgan Knowles, they’ve absolutely led from the front for Saints all year. Them two in particular will have a big say in this series.
“I don’t worry about the physicality of England competing. When the chips are down, and you’re playing international rugby, you’ve got to absolutely nail those moments. And that’s it.
“You’re playing against the Aussies here, you’re not playing against a team in Super League where you’re expecting to win.”