JAMIE OSBORNE HAS had to get used to jumping around between positions in the first few years of his professional rugby career.
When Andy Farrell selected him at fullback for his Ireland debut against the Springboks at altitude in Pretoria, Osborne had just spent the season playing in midfield for Leinster.
But the Naas man took to international rugby with aplomb and has been trusted at fullback by Farrell and Ireland ever since.
Osborne was moved to the left wing for the first time during the 2025 Six Nations, having made his championship debut at fullback a couple of weeks before.
That summer, Osborne was at outside centre for Ireland against Georgia, but he had an extended run at number 15 for Ireland this season with Hugo Keenan sidelined for the autumn internationals and this year’s Six Nations.
Now, with Keenan back and James Lowe having exited Irish rugby, 24-year-old Osborne shifts to the left wing in Ireland’s starting XV for Saturday’s Nations Championship opener against Australia in Sydney.
This will be just his second Test start on the left wing after the France game last year, when he wore the number 14 jersey but played on the left-hand side, with Calvin Nash on the right.
Typically, Osborne has not even been playing in the back three for Leinster recently. Since the Six Nations, he has been used at inside centre by his province.
But an admittedly short history shows that 15-times capped Osborne takes these challenges in his stride. It’s one of the reasons that Farrell and co. like him so much.
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Osborne started all of Ireland's Six Nations games this year at 15. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
There were other options for Ireland on the left wing, even with Tommy O’Brien – who impressed there twice during the Six Nations – missing this tour through injury, and with Mack Hansen – another who has played on the left for Ireland – still absent.
Jimmy O’Brien has been in sharp form for Leinster, albeit missing out on the match day 23 for the URC final and the Champions Cup quarter, semi and final certainly didn’t help his cause.
Ulster’s experienced Jacob Stockdale got two starts during the Six Nations and had seemed like second-in-line to Lowe in recent times, but there was a sense that he hadn’t managed to fully take his chance in those games against France and Wales.
When it came down to the Triple Crown decider against Scotland in March, with Lowe missing through injury, Farrell went for O’Brien ahead of Stockdale. And 30-year-old Stockdale misses out again here.
Osborne’s form for Ireland is excellent. It would have been very tough on him to lose out on a place in the starting XV after being so good in the Six Nations, where he shone at fullback.
He will need to adjust to the demands of playing left wing, but it’s not hard to see why Ireland fancy him to make it a success.
Like Lowe, Osborne has power in contact. He’s a big man at 6ft 4ins, and he wins collisions, as Lowe has so often done down the left for Ireland. Osborne can offload too, something that should be encouraged in his game.
Osborne is a left-footed kicker, again like Lowe, and can get great length on his kicks. One of the challenges in replacing Lowe is bringing the kind of accuracy and tactical awareness he did, as well as the shorter chipping skills.
But every coach likes having a left footer in their backline, so Osborne will aim to bring that part of his game to the party.
Osborne playing on the left wing against France in 2025. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
Osborne is generally strong in the air, which is even more crucial than ever for wings. With the aerial contest key to controlling the momentum of games, Ireland will look for Osborne to put himself into the mix under their contestable kicks.
The fact that Osborne has played in so many positions means he has a good understanding of what those around him are thinking in both attack and defence. We know that Farrell likes his wings to roam around the pitch when Ireland are in possession, so this is something Osborne should be able to provide.
He generally makes good decisions and works hard in his off-the-ball movement, while he has passing skills and the ability to run hard lines when space beckons.
Defensively, Osborne is a fine tackler, although the shift to the left wing will put him in different slots when Ireland don’t have the ball. This is usually the biggest challenge for inexperienced wings in international rugby, and Osborne surely learned plenty from the start against France last year.
Having started seven Tests at fullback already this season, Osborne does have lots of recent experience of having to defend in compromised situations out wide. He knows how important it is to work hard off the ball to be in the best position to tackle or cover.
Still, there’s no doubt that this is a bold call from Ireland boss Farrell, who has made a few like it in the past, including when he gave Osborne his debut at number 15 against the Springboks.
The obvious selection would have been Stockdale, who has so much experience, but Farrell has gone with his instinct that Osborne will impress on the left wing.
The Ireland boss is once again backing a player he regards very highly.
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Farrell asks Osborne to switch again as post-Lowe era begins
JAMIE OSBORNE HAS had to get used to jumping around between positions in the first few years of his professional rugby career.
When Andy Farrell selected him at fullback for his Ireland debut against the Springboks at altitude in Pretoria, Osborne had just spent the season playing in midfield for Leinster.
But the Naas man took to international rugby with aplomb and has been trusted at fullback by Farrell and Ireland ever since.
Osborne was moved to the left wing for the first time during the 2025 Six Nations, having made his championship debut at fullback a couple of weeks before.
That summer, Osborne was at outside centre for Ireland against Georgia, but he had an extended run at number 15 for Ireland this season with Hugo Keenan sidelined for the autumn internationals and this year’s Six Nations.
Now, with Keenan back and James Lowe having exited Irish rugby, 24-year-old Osborne shifts to the left wing in Ireland’s starting XV for Saturday’s Nations Championship opener against Australia in Sydney.
This will be just his second Test start on the left wing after the France game last year, when he wore the number 14 jersey but played on the left-hand side, with Calvin Nash on the right.
Typically, Osborne has not even been playing in the back three for Leinster recently. Since the Six Nations, he has been used at inside centre by his province.
But an admittedly short history shows that 15-times capped Osborne takes these challenges in his stride. It’s one of the reasons that Farrell and co. like him so much.
There were other options for Ireland on the left wing, even with Tommy O’Brien – who impressed there twice during the Six Nations – missing this tour through injury, and with Mack Hansen – another who has played on the left for Ireland – still absent.
Jimmy O’Brien has been in sharp form for Leinster, albeit missing out on the match day 23 for the URC final and the Champions Cup quarter, semi and final certainly didn’t help his cause.
Ulster’s experienced Jacob Stockdale got two starts during the Six Nations and had seemed like second-in-line to Lowe in recent times, but there was a sense that he hadn’t managed to fully take his chance in those games against France and Wales.
When it came down to the Triple Crown decider against Scotland in March, with Lowe missing through injury, Farrell went for O’Brien ahead of Stockdale. And 30-year-old Stockdale misses out again here.
Osborne’s form for Ireland is excellent. It would have been very tough on him to lose out on a place in the starting XV after being so good in the Six Nations, where he shone at fullback.
He will need to adjust to the demands of playing left wing, but it’s not hard to see why Ireland fancy him to make it a success.
Like Lowe, Osborne has power in contact. He’s a big man at 6ft 4ins, and he wins collisions, as Lowe has so often done down the left for Ireland. Osborne can offload too, something that should be encouraged in his game.
Osborne is a left-footed kicker, again like Lowe, and can get great length on his kicks. One of the challenges in replacing Lowe is bringing the kind of accuracy and tactical awareness he did, as well as the shorter chipping skills.
But every coach likes having a left footer in their backline, so Osborne will aim to bring that part of his game to the party.
Osborne is generally strong in the air, which is even more crucial than ever for wings. With the aerial contest key to controlling the momentum of games, Ireland will look for Osborne to put himself into the mix under their contestable kicks.
The fact that Osborne has played in so many positions means he has a good understanding of what those around him are thinking in both attack and defence. We know that Farrell likes his wings to roam around the pitch when Ireland are in possession, so this is something Osborne should be able to provide.
He generally makes good decisions and works hard in his off-the-ball movement, while he has passing skills and the ability to run hard lines when space beckons.
Defensively, Osborne is a fine tackler, although the shift to the left wing will put him in different slots when Ireland don’t have the ball. This is usually the biggest challenge for inexperienced wings in international rugby, and Osborne surely learned plenty from the start against France last year.
Having started seven Tests at fullback already this season, Osborne does have lots of recent experience of having to defend in compromised situations out wide. He knows how important it is to work hard off the ball to be in the best position to tackle or cover.
Still, there’s no doubt that this is a bold call from Ireland boss Farrell, who has made a few like it in the past, including when he gave Osborne his debut at number 15 against the Springboks.
The obvious selection would have been Stockdale, who has so much experience, but Farrell has gone with his instinct that Osborne will impress on the left wing.
The Ireland boss is once again backing a player he regards very highly.
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Australia Ireland Jamie Osborne left wing