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22 Jul, 2025
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Jamie Osborne shines on dream Lions debut as Farrell and Ringrose heap praise
@Source: irishexaminer.com
That brought Leinster and Ireland team-mate Ringrose off the bench and straight into the number 13 role as Osborne was edged out to the right wing, from where he scored his second on 44 minutes. The Kildare native and Naas RFC product with eight caps for Ireland had been drafted into the Lions squad in Australia 10 days ahead of this final midweek tour match when Ringrose, Mack Hansen and Blair Kinghorn all picked up injuries. The versatile back called in by head coach Andy Farrell as he was preparing to face Portugal in Lisbon with Ireland but was rediverted onto a flight to Australia. Owen Farrell has been impressed with Osborne from the start. “I’ve loved it, yeah,” the England veteran said. “He’s been great since he’s come in. He hit the ground running as soon as and he got across the detail very quickly, quicker than I did, I think. “He’s been training at full-back, on the wing and then he slotted into 13 no problem today and then had to move around today. He knew every play out there, no problem. “He’s a lot bigger than I thought he would be, when I came into camp. He’s an athlete with a massive left boot on him as well and he runs great lines so nothing but good things to say about him.” If Osborne’s diligence and size caught Owen Farrell on the hop, the opposite was true of his Leinster and Ireland team-mate Ringrose, who has witnessed his fellow back develop since his academy days. “Delighted. It doesn't surprise me,” Ringrose said. “Lucky enough to train with him, especially before he even made his Leinster debut. “You're training with him for a year or two and you could just see you got something. So absolutely delighted for him and his family as well. Called in late and then to fit in, from Irish camp to fit in. It just doesn't surprise me. The quality of person he is, the quality of player he is to deliver like that. It's cool.” So too, for Ringrose, was the opportunity for his own gametime with the now four-time Lions tourist Farrell. “Jamie was doing pretty exceptional when he was in at 13 there as well, before the change and when Darcy came off. So it was actually pretty cool to get a chance to play with Owen, someone I would have admired for my whole career, really. “To get the chance to play with them in that kind of dogfight-type game, yeah. I was happy enough to win and it was cool to play with him.” Asked what the standout feature of playing alongside the 33-year-old Saracens star was, Ringrose said: "Everything. I wouldn't want to isolate just one thing. “From the off, his leadership in the week. It was a challenging turnaround from the first Test, then you're travelling, then your captain's run. He didn't miss a beat in terms of that leadership and bringing players with him. Even the guys coming in, the challenge of new guys into the environment, and getting guys up to speed, he was leading that. “When he talks, everyone listens. What he's saying is the right pitch and hits the spot every time, and I could feel it out there as well. “That's not even talking about the rugby side of things. His ability at the line because he's that kind of 10/12, similar to the (Scottish) lads, physicality at the line when it's needed. “What else? His work rate for Duhan's (van der Merwe’s second-half) try. The work rate to take the ball to the far edge, then off the ball his work rate to then be the link player for Duhan to score on the other edge. In big moments, he's someone who consistently delivers and he delivered today."
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