Veteran playmaker James O’Connor has answered Australia ’s fly half SOS ahead of the British and Irish Lions series, with the 35-year-old given a shock Wallabies recall. O’Connor returns to Joe Schmidt ’s squad for the three Tests against the tourists after the hosts lost first-choice No 10 Noah Lolesio to injury in their win over Fiji last week.

The selection of 35-year-old playmaker James O’Connor – who played No.10 in the 2013 series – is the biggest surprise in the Wallabies squad for the Lions Tests.

James O’Connor has returned to a Wallabies squad almost three years after his last test when the veteran flyhalf was included to face the British and Irish Lions in the first test on July 19 in Brisbane.