PARIS: Former Wallaby Matt Giteau has backed Toulon teammate James O'Connor to slot back into the Australian set-up, adamant he has made "huge changes" to chase his World Cup goal.
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New Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has also endorsed O'Connor's comeback, describing his impending return for the Queensland Reds as a bonus for Australia's plans.
But Cheika will not use the Wallabies' week in Paris to meet the former bad boy of Australian rugby, saying his only focus is on beating France on Sunday morning (AEST).
The ARU sacked O'Connor last year after an incident at Perth airport and a string of off-field troubles, but Giteau believes escaping the Australian "bubble" has set the 24-year-old on a path to success.
There is also speculation that O'Connor will only make a one-year cameo with the Reds to rejoin Toulon after the World Cup.
O'Connor has signed a two-year deal with the Reds but there have been French reports claiming the 44-Test star will return to Toulon at the end of the tournament in Britain.
"Myself and Drew [Mitchell] were probably the first guys to say, 'I don't know if we should sign him [at Toulon]' because of the guy he was when we left Australia," Giteau said of O'Connor.
"But he's a totally different guy, he's been phenomenal. He trains hard and honestly he's been really good. The attention will be back on him in Australia, he's got to go in and suck it up.
"He's got to do all the right things to get himself in the best position for the World Cup squad, he's a huge talent and a great player. I think he's developed as a person."
O'Connor will return to Australia without an ARU top-up contract, but he had spoken with Ewen McKenzie about his Wallabies hopes before McKenzie quit as coach last month.
Cheika has been keeping an eye on O'Connor's form with Toulon and was excited about his return increasing Australian rugby's depth.
"I don't think there's a plus to me meeting him [this week], he's playing great footy over here from what I've seen with Toulon, that's for sure," Cheika said.
"I've been watching the Top 14 and he's playing really well. [O'Connor coming back] is a bonus, hooking up with the Reds and Karmichael Hunt as well. They're building some firepower.
"It's going to be a bonus for us to have guys like that to choose from [for the Wallabies], no doubt."
Australian rugby has been engulfed in controversy for a month in the wake of the Kurtley Beale text-message drama involving former team business manager Di Patston.
The Cheika-led on-field revival on the spring tour of Europe has given the ARU a much needed injection of good news.
O'Connor's 44-Test career with the Wallabies was plagued by off-field incidents and he was a member of the group dubbed "The Three Amigos" with Beale and Quade Cooper.
Cheika is implementing a new culture and wants to bring back the enjoyment of playing for the Wallabies in a bid to keep Australia's top talent away from cashed-up French clubs.
There are rumours superstar fullback Israel Folau is being courted by Toulon while 101-Test veteran Adam Ashley-Cooper has signalled his intention to move to France after the World Cup.
Former Test stars Giteau, Mitchell and Digby Ioane are with French clubs.
"I've seen a huge change [in O'Connor], I think he'd be similar to myself and when you're caught in that bubble [in Australia], you get caught in your own self-importance a bit too much," Giteau said.
"Once you get out, you realise it's just rugby. He's certainly developed as a person, he's relaxed and integrated into the [Toulon] team brilliantly."
