IRELAND HEAD COACH Simon Easterby is confident that 23-year-old Jamie Osborne can adapt strongly to another new position as he lines out on the right wing against France in the Six Nations this Saturday.
With Mack Hansen ruled out due to injury, Osborne shifts to the number 14 shirt after starting at fullback last time out against Wales.
With Ireland opting for a 6/2 split of forwards and backs on their bench, Osborne’s versatility could be useful.
Easterby indicated that returning captain Caelan Doris’ recent knee injury was one of the reasons Ireland have gone for the 6/2 split as opposed to their more common 5/3 split.
The Irish boss said the bench decision was not a response to France’s 7/1 selection with their replacements.
“No, not really,” said Easterby. “There’s a number of reasons why we’ve done it.
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“One is that we have a bit of flexibility in Jamie’s position, him covering the majority of positions in the backline.
“We felt with Caelan, who has done incredibly well to get back to full fitness and done a brilliant job with the medical staff, been able to get himself right from an injury which other players might not have been able to do that in a short space of time. We needed to make sure we had good coverage in the back row.
“The guys we had starting in Wales… Jack Conan was very good, he’s come off the bench well and obviously Ryan Baird came off the bench in Cardiff and James Ryan did as well.
Caelan Doris returns from injury. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
“We felt the dynamics of that pack and how France might play the game meant we felt that it was a nice chunky back five of our scrum to come on and make an impact, as well as having someone like Jamie from the start and he can cover a number of positions.”
Calvin Nash started on the right wing for Ireland in their round two win over Scotland when Hansen was also ruled out due to injury, but misses out on selection this time.
Osborne has started four of his six caps at fullback, while he has come off the bench in midfield twice. The Naas man has played the majority of his senior rugby with Leinster in the centre slots, as well as starting games at fullback and on the left wing for his province.
Osborne has never started a professional game on the right wing but Easterby is backing him to make a success of this latest positional shift, while indicating that Osborne and Keenan will swap roles at different stages of the game.
“He’s done pretty well so far across the short international career he’s had,” said Easterby of Osborne.
“He’s a fabulous footballer, first and foremost. He’s got a physical presence and he’s also got a really smart rugby brain. He understands the game and the feel of the game.
“So we’ve got a bit of flexibility there in terms of his positioning, a flexibility to move him around a little bit in certain parts of the field so we can utilise his left, but he’s also got a right foot as well. So there’s a bit of flexibility within the system that would allow us to utilise him and Hugo in different positions.”
Nash is unlucky to miss out again for Ireland but Easterby feels that Osborne on the right wing is the right call this time, all the more so given his 6/2 bench.
“Sometimes there’s really tight calls and it’s just the gut, but in this case there’s a couple of reasons for that and one of those is that Jamie offers us more flexibility in the positions he can play.”
Rob Herring comes into the matchday 23. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
The Ireland boss indicated that Hansen was close to making it for Ireland after suffering his injury at training on Wednesday and said his quad injury “isn’t hugely significant” but Easterby felt it prudent to make a call to go with Osborne as early as possible.
Tadhg Furlong was also close to being involved but Ireland weren’t confident enough that he could play up to 60 minutes of international rugby if called upon. Easterby said this France game had come a few days too early but that the Wexford man will “certainly” be in the mix for the trip to Italy next weekend.
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That means Thomas Clarkson is the back-up tighthead to Finlay Bealham, who returns to the starting team. Cian Healy will provide loosehead cover for Andrew Porter, while 42-times capped Rob Herring nudges ahead of 21-year-old Gus McCarthy as the reserve hooker.
“There’s very much a strong focus on our set-piece and how we need to keep building that,” said Easterby of the decision in Ireland’s number 16 shirt.
“I think Rob gives that little bit more experience and nous in a position which can be pretty tricky. What he will allow us to do as well is he’ll have the opportunity to come off the bench with a younger player in Tom Clarkson.
“It gives him and Tom a nice bit of a connection, along with Cian and his experience on the other side of that. It was a bit of a horses for courses in terms of trying to create the best dynamic when those guys come off the bench whenever that is during the game to give the scrum and lineout that little bit of experience.”
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'He understands the game' - Ireland back Osborne to shine in 14 shirt
IRELAND HEAD COACH Simon Easterby is confident that 23-year-old Jamie Osborne can adapt strongly to another new position as he lines out on the right wing against France in the Six Nations this Saturday.
With Mack Hansen ruled out due to injury, Osborne shifts to the number 14 shirt after starting at fullback last time out against Wales.
With Ireland opting for a 6/2 split of forwards and backs on their bench, Osborne’s versatility could be useful.
Easterby indicated that returning captain Caelan Doris’ recent knee injury was one of the reasons Ireland have gone for the 6/2 split as opposed to their more common 5/3 split.
The Irish boss said the bench decision was not a response to France’s 7/1 selection with their replacements.
“No, not really,” said Easterby. “There’s a number of reasons why we’ve done it.
“One is that we have a bit of flexibility in Jamie’s position, him covering the majority of positions in the backline.
“We felt with Caelan, who has done incredibly well to get back to full fitness and done a brilliant job with the medical staff, been able to get himself right from an injury which other players might not have been able to do that in a short space of time. We needed to make sure we had good coverage in the back row.
“The guys we had starting in Wales… Jack Conan was very good, he’s come off the bench well and obviously Ryan Baird came off the bench in Cardiff and James Ryan did as well.
“We felt the dynamics of that pack and how France might play the game meant we felt that it was a nice chunky back five of our scrum to come on and make an impact, as well as having someone like Jamie from the start and he can cover a number of positions.”
Calvin Nash started on the right wing for Ireland in their round two win over Scotland when Hansen was also ruled out due to injury, but misses out on selection this time.
Osborne has started four of his six caps at fullback, while he has come off the bench in midfield twice. The Naas man has played the majority of his senior rugby with Leinster in the centre slots, as well as starting games at fullback and on the left wing for his province.
Osborne has never started a professional game on the right wing but Easterby is backing him to make a success of this latest positional shift, while indicating that Osborne and Keenan will swap roles at different stages of the game.
“He’s done pretty well so far across the short international career he’s had,” said Easterby of Osborne.
“He’s a fabulous footballer, first and foremost. He’s got a physical presence and he’s also got a really smart rugby brain. He understands the game and the feel of the game.
“So we’ve got a bit of flexibility there in terms of his positioning, a flexibility to move him around a little bit in certain parts of the field so we can utilise his left, but he’s also got a right foot as well. So there’s a bit of flexibility within the system that would allow us to utilise him and Hugo in different positions.”
Nash is unlucky to miss out again for Ireland but Easterby feels that Osborne on the right wing is the right call this time, all the more so given his 6/2 bench.
“Sometimes there’s really tight calls and it’s just the gut, but in this case there’s a couple of reasons for that and one of those is that Jamie offers us more flexibility in the positions he can play.”
The Ireland boss indicated that Hansen was close to making it for Ireland after suffering his injury at training on Wednesday and said his quad injury “isn’t hugely significant” but Easterby felt it prudent to make a call to go with Osborne as early as possible.
Tadhg Furlong was also close to being involved but Ireland weren’t confident enough that he could play up to 60 minutes of international rugby if called upon. Easterby said this France game had come a few days too early but that the Wexford man will “certainly” be in the mix for the trip to Italy next weekend.
That means Thomas Clarkson is the back-up tighthead to Finlay Bealham, who returns to the starting team. Cian Healy will provide loosehead cover for Andrew Porter, while 42-times capped Rob Herring nudges ahead of 21-year-old Gus McCarthy as the reserve hooker.
“There’s very much a strong focus on our set-piece and how we need to keep building that,” said Easterby of the decision in Ireland’s number 16 shirt.
“I think Rob gives that little bit more experience and nous in a position which can be pretty tricky. What he will allow us to do as well is he’ll have the opportunity to come off the bench with a younger player in Tom Clarkson.
“It gives him and Tom a nice bit of a connection, along with Cian and his experience on the other side of that. It was a bit of a horses for courses in terms of trying to create the best dynamic when those guys come off the bench whenever that is during the game to give the scrum and lineout that little bit of experience.”
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France Ireland Selection Simon Easterby six nations 2025