Bumping into Jamie Osborne as part of a posse of players heading out for an early morning coffee, there was no inkling of the kerfuffle that would ensue for the 23-year-old, one that would see him summoned to Australia to join the Lions.
The Naas native was originally named in the Ireland team to play Portugal at the Estádio Nacional do Jamor on Saturday (7pm Irish time, live on Virgin Media), to continue in the centre alongside Stuart McCloskey with whom he’d played against Georgia.
According to an IRFU timeline, the Irish management was apprised of the situation regarding Osborne a little before midday, which prompted a re-release of the team with Hugh Gavin joining fellow debutants Shayne Bolton and Alex Kendellen in the starting line-up having originally been named on the bench. Munster’s Calvin Nash joined the replacements.
Osborne was in the team when Ireland interim head coach Paul O’Connell conducted his press conference, but he subsequently offered his congratulations. “On behalf of the Ireland team I would like to congratulate Jamie on his selection to the British & Irish Lions. It’s fantastic news for Jamie and we wish him well in Australia.
“Jamie has been a consistent performer for Leinster and Ireland and I’m sure he’ll be a great addition to the Lions squad.”
There are three changes in the backline, the 25-year-old Bolton replacing the luckless Jacob Stockdale who has returned home with a shoulder injury, while Jack Crowley will make his 26th appearance in an Ireland jersey alongside Craig Casey, who once again captains the team.
Ireland impress as the Lions struggle
There are eight changes from the 34-5 victory over Georgia in Tbilisi, six to the run-on team, Bolton and Gavin joining the three quarter-line and Crowley replacing Sam Prendergast. Tom Ahern, Cian Prendergast and Kendellen are promoted to the starting pack.
Asked about the battle for the Ireland 10 jersey, O’Connell replied: “(Prendergast) had a very good game last week, perfect off the tee. So, this is Jack Crowley’s chance to step it up. It’s a very important position, more important in the game than it’s ever been.
“They probably don’t touch the ball as much as the nines but probably make more decisions than anyone else on the field, and they really decide how we play the game. So having two guys that are confident, that we believe in, that get in and play our way, make mistakes and learn, and get it right and learn from that as well, is really important.
“It’s just an opportunity for Jack to own the week and run it and get after it, and it’s great for us. The two of them are quite supportive of each other. They learn a lot from each other, so it’s just a brilliant opportunity for us to give more experience to Jack. I thought Sam was excellent last week, not just in how he played, but his kicking off the tee made a big difference to us.”
Over the two Tests, nine players will win their first caps, while four other uncapped players – Scott Wilson, who returned home after the Georgia match, Nathan Doak, Stephen Smyth and Paddy McCarthy – got to experience an Ireland senior squad environment.
O’Connell underlined the essence of that decision-making process. “It’s about giving guys an opportunity that we think can kick on in the next two-year window (to the World Cup in Australia).
“I think it might have been a bit too early for some of the guys, but it’s been brilliant for us to have them on the tour with us, to train with us, to hear the language, see the way some of the lads prepare and take responsibility for preparing the team. It’s great learning for them.
“I think everyone that’s getting caps has a real chance of kicking on and getting plenty more in the next few years. It’s about us getting to know them a little bit better, them getting to understand our way, because we consider that we do things a little bit differently. It’s just getting them to understand that and then being able to bring that into their play with their provinces as well.”
Asked about how he’s enjoying his time in the head coach’s role, O’Connell pointed to the fact he relied on a pre-existing structure that works. “There’s a good formula in place which we’ve followed in terms of how we train, how we prepare, how we run our meetings, and we’ve followed that.
“It’s what I’m familiar with, the players are familiar with, and what the players are going to come back to in the autumn so from that regard it’s been good.”
So has Andy Farrell been in touch? “We’ve been in contact, just short little phone calls, those things I’m always trying to double check with him, and he always answers the phone which is great, even though I’m sure he’s under plenty of pressure. He knows the phone call won’t be a long one.
“It’s been good for me because there’s certainly things you want to double check. It’s only when you’re in the middle of this and you realise, ‘oh I’m supposed to do that as well,’ so I’ve been double checking a few bits like that with him and Simon (Easterby).”
Ireland: J O’Brien (Leinster/Naas); T O’Brien (Leinster/Blackrock College), H Gavin (Connacht/Galwegians), S McCloskey (Bangor/Ulster), S Bolton (Connacht); J Crowley (Munster/Cork Constitution), C Casey (Munster/Shannon, capt); J Boyle (Leinster/UCD), G McCarthy (Leinster/UCD), T Clarkson (Leinster/Blackrock College; T Ahern (Munster/Shannon), D Murray (Connacht/Buccaneers); R Baird (Leinster/Dublin University), A Kendellen (Munster/UCC), C Prendergast (Connacht/UCD).
Replacements: T Stewart (Ulster/Ballynahinch), Michael Milne (Munster/UCD), T O’Toole (Ulster/Ballynahinch), C Izuchukwu (Ulster/Ballynahinch), M Deegan (Leinster/Lansdowne), B Murphy (Connacht/Clontarf), C Frawley (Leinster/UCD), C Nash (Munster/Young Munster).
