Wallabies star youngster James O'Connor says the lure of playing alongside Stirling Mortlock, Kurtley Beale and Danny Cipriani persuaded him to join the Melbourne Rebels.

The utility back, who turns 21 next week, recently signed a two-year deal with Super Rugby's wooden spooners.

He said the chance to learn from rugby league great Andrew Johns, a coaching consultant with the Rebels, also contributed.

"Andrew was one of the best rugby league players going around and he brought so many different things to rugby league," O'Connor told Melbourne's SEN radio on Tuesday.

"So the thought of that and playing with an established backline.

"You've got Stirling Motlock outside of me, Kurtley Beale at the back, who's been on fire of late and Danny Cipriani inside, who's a world-class 10.

"I'm going to be playing the position I want to develop as an international player ... it's going to be a pretty unstoppable side, I think."

Wallabies' teammate Beale will leave the NSW Waratahs for the Rebels in 2012.

O'Connor also said he decided to quit the Western Force, after they backtracked on meeting certain conditions he had requested to improve the code in Western Australia, having initially agreed to them.

"There were things that were actually agreed on and then when it came down to the last minute got lost in translation, I guess," he said.

"I believe it wasn't anything unfair (I asked for), the fact that they agreed to them sort of says it all.

"It was all to do with rugby and developing rugby in Perth and keeping the best players."

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