James O'Connor has returned to where it all began, with the veteran utility back to play for the Western Force next season in a bid to thrust himself into Rugby World Cup calculations.
O'Connor signed a one-year deal with the Force this week, which will also see him serve as an assistant coach for the club's Super Rugby Aus squad, whose campaign begins against Queensland Reds next weekend.
"I've got a lot of love for Perth as a city. It's where we want to lay some roots down. We will welcome our first son into the world in a month or so, so it's a very special time for us," O'Connor said.
"The club has strong foundations and has built some solid momentum this last season. I'm ready to sink my teeth into it this challenge and really push towards our first-ever finals berth."
In an interesting twist of fate, O'Connor's latest foray into coaching will see him dishing out instructions to his former Melbourne Rebels and Wallabies teammate Kurtley Beale, who remains on the hunt for a contract for 2027.
O'Connor's return from England also comes after Bernard Foley and Nick Phipps signed one-year deals with NSW Waratahs in what has become a real throwback to the previous decade when all four men were continually wearing the gold jersey.
But while Phipps and Beale aren't likely anywhere near a Wallabies recall, O'Connor could foreseeably still enter discussions alongside Foley after he only last year spearheaded Australia's famous defeat of the Springboks in Johannesburg.
"I've had a great break now after going two years straight from the Crusaders to Wallabies and then Leicester. There's a lot of good footy still left in me. I want to make the most of possibly my last year," O'Connor said.
"It's an incredible time in Australian rugby right now with the World Cup just around the corner and this is an opportunity for me to go toe to toe with the best in Australia each week.
"I'm excited to bring my experience to this group. I've played all over the world for two decades. I've seen a lot of different programs and a lot of different structures.
"I feel like my strength is creating cohesion and refining systems to work better. Whether that's finishing a game, reviewing opposition or working with the non-23 to make the starters as competitive as possible.
"I've already started working in that coaching and mentoring space over the last three to four years."
O'Connor will add further depth to a Force backline that already features Wallabies Ben Donaldson and Dylan Pietsch, and impressive scrum-half Henry Robertson who was thought to be in Wallabies discussions before his season-ending knee injury.
The Force will also be hoping for more from code-hopper Zac Lomax before he joins the PNG Chiefs in 2028, while the club has also recruited outside back James Ramm from Northampton. Ramm was previously involved in a wider Wallabies squad under Dave Rennie in 2020.
"James and I have spoken for the last three years about a return to the Western Force, but for various reasons the timing never quite aligned, despite a strong mutual desire to make it happen.
"Following our end-of-season review and evaluating our squad structure, the timing is now ideal.
"With our current group of playmakers - notably Ben Donaldson, Harry McLaughlin-Phillips, and Alex Harford - James provides an invaluable sounding board.
"Both Harry and Ben actively discussed the benefits of bringing him into the environment, which speaks volumes about our culture of peer-to-peer leadership and driving squad standards.
"On the field, his core strengths - particularly his tactical kicking, vision, and decision-making - will directly complement the talent we already have."