EVEN THOUGH IRELAND ended up being well beaten by New Zealand in the final quarter, there were a few ‘what if?’ moments at Soldier Field.

Like what if Stuart McCloskey’s offload to Jamie Osborne in the 34th minute had gone to hand, rather than being batted away by Quinn Tupaea? 

Osborne was accelerating up towards top speed on New Zealand’s 10-metre line with space beckoning in front of him as Ireland struck on transition after winning back a kick.

“We were both talking about it after,” says Osborne.

“We both saw our names in lights. It just didn’t work.”

Or what if Osborne had been able to gather Jack Crowley’s pass just outside the Kiwi 22 in the 60th minute with Ireland still leading 13-7? 

Osborne might not have made a clean break, given that Peter Lakai was covering across, but there was space to attack and Ireland were in the right part of the pitch.

Instead, Ireland turned the ball over, New Zealand hacked it downfield, Tupaea won a breakdown turnover, they kicked into the Irish 22, and Tamaiti Williams scored to give the All Blacks the lead for the first time in the game.

“We talked about just being able to… I need to be able to catch the ball on the line,” says Osborne.

“The pass maybe was a fraction hard as well from his point of view, but both of us together, we need to be able to take those.

“And then after that, we looked at it as a team and what we can do to ensure that we don’t concede a turnover in that position.”

Osborne will win his 10th cap tomorrow. Morgan Treacy / INPHO Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO

While those were the ones that got away, Osborne had plenty of positive involvements for Ireland on what was just his fifth Test start at fullback.

The Naas man won some important aerial contests and made some thunderous tackles closing up from the backfield to the edge of Ireland’s defence. 

He looked like he might have a 50:22 kick in the first half, only for Beauden Barrett to get away with a late mark call.

“I don’t think he said it,” is Osborne’s view, although he insists Ireland have no grievance over the incident.

“I’m aware of the law now, that you have to say it. Interesting, yeah.”

Aerial skills have never been as important in top-level rugby, with the ban on escorting meaning the return of genuine one-on-one contests in the air.

It’s part of the game that 6ft 4ins Osborne enjoys.

“Anyone really in the backfield, we’d spend a good bit of time during the week trying to get up and catch the ball at the highest point,” he says.

“As a team, we’re definitely working more on the players in and around the contests and what they can do to ensure that the ball comes back on our side, because a lot of the time, a good contest, they’re basically 50/50s all the time now.

“It’s rare enough that you’re able to get clean catches.”

Osborne at Ireland training yesterday. Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO

The chances to attack in transition from aerial wins are exciting too.

Osborne says it’s something Ireland work hard on.

“We go through a lot of scenarios in training where that is the case, so it’s something we work on.

“We want to be able to attack the space with good bodies in motion, if you know what I mean.

“We do work on that a lot. It’s unstructured, but there’s probably, I don’t want to say structure to it, but there’s a framework that we have.” 

Osborne is at fullback for Ireland again tomorrow against Japan, meaning this will be his fourth consecutive start at number 15 for province and country.

For a man well accustomed to shifting between backline positions from game to game, the run at fullback is welcome.

“I’ve been enjoying it,” says Osborne.

“Two games at Leinster and then one there. Although there are different systems, it’s very much the same. There’s similarities as well, so yeah, I’m enjoying it.”