Ireland head coach Andy Farrell has handed Jamie Osborne his Test match debut for Saturday’s clash with South Africa at Loftus Versfeld (4pm Irish time). The 22-year-old Leinster utility back is entrusted with the number 15 jersey in the absence of Hugo Keenan, who is preparing with the Ireland Sevens team for the Paris Olympics.
The 25-year-old Craig Casey has won the starting position at scrumhalf, making just his fifth start in winning his 15th cap. Conor Murray, who was on the bench for four of the five Six Nations games is included among the replacements. Casey started the Italy match and is closer in style terms to the injured Jamison Gibson-Park with that high energy exuberance.
Robbie Henshaw is preferred to Garry Ringrose as a partner to Bundee Aki in midfield with the latter included on the bench.
Osborne, one of three uncapped players in the squad alongside Cormac Izuchukwu and Sam Prendergast, has largely played centre or wing for the province this season. The last time he lined out at fullback was for Leinster against Glasgow Warriors in November 2022.
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The Naas native has four younger brothers, one of whom, Andrew is in the Leinster academy. Jamie shown a brilliant aptitude in stepping up in the past, but this represents the ultimate challenge for a promising and talented player. Strong and powerful in attack, he possesses a thumping left foot and at six foot three inches, he is an imposing presence in the air.
Keenan’s absence and that of the injured scrumhalf Jamison Gibson-Park meant that the team required recalibrating. Jack Conan missed the tour because of personal reasons while Ringrose and James Ryan have happily recovered from injuries that curtailed their involvement in Six Nations and are included in the matchday 23.
Osborne has beaten Jimmy O’Brien, Ciarán Frawley, who played fullback against Wales, and Jordan Larmour, who wore the 15 jersey against Scotland, to the role.
Calvin Nash started all five Six Nations games as Mack Hansen, Ireland’s try scorer against the Boks in Paris, was unavailable through injury. Aki and Henshaw were Farrell’s preferred centre pairing while Ringrose was sidelined and will continue that partnership on Saturday.
Irish captain Peter O’Mahony will lead the team from blindside flanker while Joe McCarthy and Tadhg Beirne continue in the secondrow.
Farrell has gone for a conventional five-three split on the bench with Ryan and Ryan Baird covering the back five and Murray, Ciarán Frawley and Ringrose providing the backline cover.
IRELAND (v South Africa): J Osborne (Leinster); C Nash (Munster), R Henshaw (Leinster), B Aki (Connacht), J Lowe (Leinster); J Crowley (Munster), C Casey (Munster); A Porter (Leinster), D Sheehan (Leinster), T Furlong (Leinster); T Beirne (Munster), J McCarthy (Leinster); P O’Mahony (Munster, capt), J van der Flier (Leinster), C Doris (Leinster).
Replacements: R Kelleher (Leinster), C Healy (Leinster), F Bealham (Connacht), J Ryan (Leinster), R Baird (Leinster), C Murray (Munster), C Frawley (Leinster) G Ringrose (Leinster).
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