“I thought he was immense. He has really stepped up.” Ireland head coach Andy Farrell didn’t couch his words when describing Jamie Osborne’s cameo off the bench against Argentina.
There isn’t a big enough bushel to hide the 23-year-old’s talent and aptitude for Test rugby, something he confirmed while playing fullback in the two matches against the Springboks on the summer tour to South Africa, having previously done so in marquee matches for Leinster last season.
He wasn’t foot perfect in Pretoria and Durban but his response to the odd mistake underlined his temperament, one that allowed him to push through and excel in so many facets of the game. Osborne maintained that trajectory, this time at centre, conspicuously excellent in the victory over the Pumas.
Modesty encouraged him to downplay his contribution. “Coming on at the same time as Sam [Prendergast], you both probably feel you have to make an impact, bring energy to the team. That’s the expectation.
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“There were probably a few moments that we got our hands on the ball and were able to find a bit of space, but we didn’t score points in the last 20 either so we need to work on finishing those moments off.”
Osborne’s versatility gives him an edge if he doesn’t make the starting team, but it also comes with a responsibility to be across all the detail required to come on at either fullback, both centre positions, and even wing.
He said: “It’s making sure during the week that, if you’re a fullback you’re getting reps with high balls [and] your kicking game. Centre is probably a bit more confrontational, a bit more physical. You’re carrying and distributing a bit more. It’s just getting the balance right in training, [doing some] extras pre- and post-training, making sure you have everything ticked off and you’re ready to go.
Are Fiji now capable of beating Ireland for the first time in their history?
“Everyone would stay back post-training, we’d all be working on the individual stuff and that’s the expectation, really, because you can’t do everything in a team session. We all spend a lot of time in our mini units; the back three do their skills, centres their own thing after training, so that’s how we get it all in.”
Saturday will see him pit his wits against Fiji whose style of rugby he admired growing up. “They’re hugely physical, have the offloading ability and the pace to break teams so we have to be connected in defence. We have to be all over our work because lads like [Waisea] Nayacalevu, they create something out of nowhere.
“Now they’re starting to pick up a few scalps, especially over the last couple of years. They’re mixing their physicality and, people will say loose play, but smarts is part of their identity as a team and they’re getting better at it. It should be a tough game.”
