They were the pair who couldn't stay out of trouble, whether it was a 4am burger run four days before a Test match or a cringeworthy posse shot in a jacuzzi in Melbourne.
James O'Connor and Kurtley Beale, two thirds of the infamous "three amigos" (Quade Cooper was the other), were once a large part of everything that was wrong with Australian rugby.
Amigos: Kurtley Beale and James O'Connor at the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.
An abundance of talent, an abundance of ego and a wilful blindness to the privilege of their positions that enraged team mates, former players and fans alike.
Now, Beale and O'Connor are back together in the Wallabies for the first time in six long years when Australia host Argentina at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday.
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Beale, a player uniquely positioned to reflect on second chances, third chances and the non-linear path to maturity, said he was happy to see O'Connor's career come full-circle.
"Ive stayed in touch with James over the last few years," he said in Brisbane on Thursday. "Its great to see him in a really good space and playing some really decent rugby.
All grown up: O'Connor and Beale reunited in Brisbane this week. Credit:AAP
"As Cheik alluded to hes a really good guy now, getting around and adding his bit to the team. You can see that hes a quality player when hes got the ball in hand. Hes got some really nice touches about him.
"Defensively hes really strong as well, which surprised me a bit. I knew that he got a lot of experience in the centres playing for Sale.
O'Connor as an 18-year-old in 2009. Credit:Dallas Kilponen
"Hes been working really hard at his game and hes another player pushing hard for a spot. Its creating a really healthy environment for all players to get better in."
A bench spot for Saturday's Test is only the start of a long road to World Cup inclusion.
But two things O'Connor did demonstrate across his 44-Test career – not to mention the following six years he spent almost exclusively as a journeyman in European rugby – were persistence and self belief.
He had a crack at a homecoming in 2015, linking up briefly with the Reds, but has since admitted he was in a poor head space at the time.
Cheika and O'Connor never crossed paths. O'Connor's last season in Australia – the year of the pre-Lions burger run and jacuzzi photo – was Cheika's first. After years in Europe the former Randwick No.8 had returned home to coach the Waratahs. When rumours swirled in 2014 that O'Connor wanted to come home for a crack at the World Cup in the following year, Cheika was dismissive.
Asked on Thursday what had changed his mind on the 29-year-old, the Wallabies coach said O'Connor had done the hard yards.
"He was in [the Wallabies set up] very briefly in '15 … He came into a couple of camps, didnt really get on to the paddock too much," Cheika said. "Like all the players playing overseas, you watch them closely and based off the back of his form over there, thats when I approached him. From there it just happened.
"Hes made a lot happen himself to get back here. Hes made sacrifices … because he really wants it. He wants to play footy for his country and he wants to do it well.
"I didnt know him that much from before sRead More – Source
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