James O'Connor says he is committed to Queensland Reds long-term © Image Supplied: Queensland Rugby Union

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James O'Connor wants to remain with Queensland Rugby long-term, saying he's keen to join an illustrious list of Reds centurions.

O'Connor on Thursday was named at No.10 for Saturday night's clash with Western Force in Brisbane, with round-one fly-half Karmichael Hunt shifting to fullback. The 24-year-old utility back is yet to turn out for the Reds, having missed both their pre-season trials as well as the opening-round 47-3 shellacking at the hands of the Brumbies. But in a major boost for the franchise, the former Force and Rebels star has given a strong indication that he wants to build some Queensland history of his own.

"No decision's been made yet, my sole focus is on playing rugby in Australia - that's my goal," O'Connor said. "Like I've set before, I've come here [to Queensland] with the intention to stay here. There's a lot of guys up on that wall, as soon as you walk up there, who are on that 100 caps board. Obviously, it is a big reach but I'm a Queensland boy and that's what I want to be achieving.

"So there's a lot of stuff I need to prove to stay here and to keep moving forward, but it's a positive opportunity for me and it's one I'm going to take with both hands - starting on Saturday."

O'Connor is believed to have signed a two-year deal with the Reds but there were conflicting reports out of Toulon, where he spent the second half of 2014, at the time of his announcement last year as to the length of his Queensland contract; enigmatic Toulon owner Mourad Boudjellal said that O'Connor would return to France after this year's Rugby World Cup.

"We always said James O'Connor had signed for three years at Toulon with a possible six months absence during the season to be able to play in the World Cup," Boudjellal told French newspaper Midi Olympique at the time. "So we respect what has been signed ... he is committed for two years after the Cup."

For now, O'Connor's primary concern will be helping the Reds atone for their horror-show in Canberra. He faces a tough initiation in the Reds No.10 jersey, but is confident the experience of the 2013 British & Irish Lions series, and his time at fly-half with the Rebels and Force, will hold him in good stead.

"That was a big learning curve," O'Connor said of the Lions series, in which he started all three Test at fly-half. "Obviously I hadn't played much at 10 that year, and it is a big difference playing Super Rugby to Test level and then sort of taking it again to that Lions series. But I do have quite a big background in Super Rugby; I've played probably half my rugby at 10."

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