Jamie Osborne will be the first to admit that he was out of place for the initial South African try in the second minute. His run to the right to tackle Kurt-Lee Arendse was too much, enabling the left wing to step in with little resistance.
This unfamiliarity with his new role as fullback led to Osborne overextending himself to a player of international caliber, a mistake that cost him.
In the early stages of the match, Ireland was yet to master their boundary defence play, permitting the Springboks to pose numerous challenges for the Ireland players who had to strategise on the fly. However, there was a marked improvement in the second half.
Andy Farrell, despite this, would have seen some positives in Osborne’s performance that will likely convince him to continue with him as Hugo Keenan is diverted to Paris for the Olympic Games with the Sevens team.
Osborne displayed a key trait all fullbacks require – composure in high-pressure situations. In addition, he mirrored Keenan’s propensity to infiltrate forward areas, a strategy that set him up beautifully for a solid carry at the close of the first half and an accomplished try.
Osborne’s ability to anticipate the game and make himself available was evident when he secured a ball tossed back by Lowe from over the line. The Irish fullback kept hold of the ball and successfully scored.
In a particular defensive instance, he ran from right to left and swiftly moved in to intercept a ball kicked through by Willie le Roux, under pressure from several Springbok players. Osborne composed himself, situated himself well on the field and passed the ball successfully to supporting Irish players. It was a move that less experienced players may have fumbled, leading to a penalty.
His hand-to-touch kicking was also commendable, and although he mishandled one high ball from a Springbok in the first half, he overall demonstrated confidence in dealing with high balls, despite South Africa’s early attempts to test him.
Farrell is on the hunt for a reliable backup for Keenan and has had trials notably with Ciarán Frawley and Jordan Larmour. However, he seems to still be undecided on the best fit.
Considering everything, Osborne, in both his debut cap and a high-pressure role, made mistakes but also had some impressive moments, which is predictable. Although he’s had experience as a fullback, it was his first time playing at this intensity.
At the age of 22, with only 17 games under his belt at Leinster, he has now been selected for Ireland to compete against the World Cup champions ahead of the second Test match in Durban next week. That’s encouraging.