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Sack JOC ... Eddie Jones call for O'Connor to be dump from the Wallabies sqaud. Source: Cameron Spencer / Getty Images
FORMER Test coach Eddie Jones has called for wayward star James O'Connor to be dumped from the Wallabies' Bledisloe Cup squad to teach him a lesson about off-field behaviour.
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Jones' view came as O'Connor's swift fall from grace continued yesterday, with Melbourne following up their decision to cut the no.10 next season by naming him on the bench behind rookies for the Rebels' final game, and more Test teammates questioning his discipline.
Following comments from Rebels skipper Scott Higginbotham on Tuesday backing the club's call to release O'Connor because he didn't fit into the "team dynamic", Force no.8 Ben McCalman said his club would be wary of picking him back up unless he behaved.
"He's a great player to have on the field, very skilful, a lot of natural talent, " McCalman said.
"In saying that, we've worked very hard in the last year to set values and standards through Matty Hodgson and down through the senior players.
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"We'd love to have him here but not at the cost of compromising what we've already set.
"He has a few things that he can sort out and we'll see how things turn out."
The fact the Rebels axed him, and Test players are openly criticising O'Connor's behaviour, is an indication of how fed up many Wallabies have grown with the 22-year-old's discipline and impact on team cultures.
O'Connor was out with Kurtley Beale until 4am in the week of the second Lions Test and then missed the team bus two days before the third Test.
While Jones said he would leave Beale on the bench for Bledisloe I on August 17, the former Wallaby coach said he felt McKenzie should leave O'Connor out.
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"I wouldn't have O'Connor in the squad for the next period of time. Guys like him have to understand it is special playing for Australia, and he hasn't treated it as special, " Jones told ruggamatrix podcast.
"I am sure Ewen is going to make the point somewhere along the line with one of those boys to make sure they understand it is special playing for Australia."
Jones said O'Connor and Beale's decision to stay out late in Melbourne was not acceptable but he also fired a salvo at the ARU for again failing to crack down on the pair.
"It's inexcusable what they did in the second Test (week), to be up at four o'clock in the morning, obviously around carousing at a hamburger place, " Jones said.
"But the worst thing was the ARU defending it. The ARU should have said straight away they should have been in bed, and they should have been in recovery. They shouldn't have been out. I am sure Ewen is going to sort out those issues.
"No team is perfect and every team has its characters, but you have to draw a line. There are 14 Tests in a year, and for that period of time the players need to be completely devoted to winning those Test matches."
Jones said Quade Cooper should return into the no.10 jersey given to O'Connor unwisely by Robbie Deans for the Lions series.
"It's a bit like Shane Warne leaving and picking up a part-time leg spinner who bowls ten overs every so often in club cricket. It's just beyond comprehension.
"He was way out of his depth. He's a brilliant individual, we know that, but he can't play Test stand-off."
Meanwhile, Will Genia has said he'll look forward to re-uniting with Cooper at Test level under their Reds coach.
"When you're going into big games, you want to be able to trust the guys inside and outside you.
"Combinations play a big part in that. Myself and Quade obviously go back a long way and we do have that good relationship.
"You can't hide the fact that Ewen's always been a big fan of Quade's but, just like every other player in Australia, we're going to have to prove ourselves."
