10 Jul 2013

Wallabies first five relegated to Rebels bench

4:42 pm on 10 July 2013

The sacked Melbourne Rebels and Wallabies playmaker James O'Connor has been relegated to the bench for his side's final Super Rugby game of the season against the Highlanders on Friday night.

O'Connor's exclusion from the starting side comes just days after he was told he wouldn't be offered a contract at the Rebels for next year.

The Rebels put out a team list on Wednesday saying O'Connor had been named on the bench as he had not trained with the team since being selected in the Wallabies for the British and Irish Lions Series.

The statement also said O'Connor would train for the first time at the Rebels captain's run on Thursday following an injury he sustained in the final Wallabies Test in Sydney.