IRELAND BOSS ANDY Farrell has named Jamie Osborne for his Test debut at fullback against South Africa in Pretoria this Saturday [KO 4pm Irish time, Sky Sports].
22-year-old Osborne will win his first Ireland cap in the number 15 shirt, where he last started a game for Leinster in November 2022.
Osborne has impressed in midfield for Leinster this season and has been involved in Ireland camps since 2021. With regular fullback Hugo Keenan absent due to 7s duty, Farrell is convinced the Naas RFC product is ready to face the Springboks at 15 in Loftus Versfeld. Osborne has previously impressed at fullback for the Ireland U20s.
Munster man Craig Casey will start at scrum-half in the absence of the injured Jamison Gibson-Park, with his experienced provincial team-mate Conor Murray named on the bench.
This is the biggest start of 25-year-old Casey’s Ireland career so far and he teams up with fellow Munster man Jack Crowley in the halfbacks.
With Bundee Aki and Robbie Henshaw starting in midfield for Ireland, Garry Ringrose is included as part of a 5/3 Irish bench split to take on the Springboks.
Ireland (v South Africa):
15. Jamie Osborne
14. Calvin Nash
13. Robbie Henshaw
12. Bundee Aki
11. James Lowe
10. Jack Crowley
9. Craig Casey
1. Andrew Porter
2. Dan Sheehan
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Joe McCarthy
5. Tadhg Beirne
6. Peter O’Mahony (captain)
7. Josh van der Flier
8. Caelan Doris
Replacements:
16. Rónan Kelleher
17. Cian Healy
18. Finlay Bealham
19. James Ryan
20. Ryan Baird
21. Conor Murray
22. Ciarán Frawley
23. Garry Ringrose
Referee: Luke Pearce [RFU].
