Osborne: Ireland Versus England Is A Proper Game In Any Sport

Jamie Osborne feels Ireland are ‘building something good’ as they look to take the positives from the win over Italy into Saturday’s crunch third round clash with England in the Guinness Men’s Six Nations.

Andy Farrell’s side came through a stern test from Italy, with full-back Osborne scoring the first of their three tries as they garnered some momentum for this week’s much-anticipated trip to Twickenham.

A shoulder injury meant he had three months without rugby coming into the Six Nations, but he has now started back-to-back Championship matches for the first time in the full-back position, getting 153 minutes under his belt.

“I felt good going into the France game and better again after another week of training. I’m just enjoying it and you probably feel better every game you play,” he said.

“A lot of credit has to be given to the medical team at Leinster. Even the week of camp in Portugal I did a lot more extras around contact than I would usually do, just because I haven’t had that.

“So, by the time I was going into the game I was feeling good, and it’s a credit to them and the work they did.”

Osborne’s return to fitness was a timely one with Hugo Keenan’s fractured thumb sidelining him just as he was about to make his comeback from hip surgery. As well as his try, he has been Ireland’s leading carrier across the first two rounds with 24, just one ahead of Stuart McCloskey.

The Naas man also currently ranks in the tournament’s top ten for running metres (180.8), and has accumulated 365.9 kicking metres and been credited with five tackle breaks. His second ever Six Nations try highlighted his threat in attack, and he has been efficient as ever in his coverage of the back-field.

Combining with James Lowe and Robert Baloucoune in the back-three last Saturday, the trio were lively throughout, providing impact when on the ball and an improved return from aerial contests. Between them, they made 226.9 metres from 34 carries, piercing the Italian defence with five line breaks and 17 defenders beaten.

The 24-year-old was fulsome in his praise of in-form centre McCloskey, who provided a slick assist for his 16th-minute score, and player-of-the-match Baloucoune who marked his Six Nations debut with what head coach Farrell deemed ‘as good a try as we’ve ever scored, with all those phases’.

“It was a real team effort,” said Osborne, reflecting on his own try. “We worked our way into the 22 well, and when Stu gets the ball in his hands, you know he’s probably going to get his hands free.

“I just tried to run off him and was lucky enough to get a ball off him and score. I can’t take too much credit.

“I didn’t expect him to throw a quarterback pass to Rob (for Ireland’s third try), so he comes out with a bit of unexpected stuff as well but he’s a joy to play with.

“When you see him carrying forward and you’re behind him you know you’ve got a good chance he’s going to pop the ball to you.

“Rob was class, it was my first week really training with him and just his ability with the ball, he gets his hands free as well. His ability to beat defenders and his speed is a real point of difference for him, and he’s a joy to play with.”

The versatile back was pleased with how they put together an improved performance a week on from that disappointing opening defeat to France. The 20-13 victory was a step in the right direction, but Italy did have them under pressure towards the end of both halves.

It was 10 points apiece when Louis Lynagh had a try disallowed for a forward pass from Tommaso Menoncello, while the Azzurri went close to grabbing a late levelling score when Paolo Garbisi’s chip over the top just evaded the clutches of the inrushing Menoncello.

During the closing stages, penalties conceded by captain Caelan Doris and debutant Edwin Edogbo could have proven costly against an Italian team that came away with their first bonus point against Ireland since 2008.

At the same time as highlighting the heightened Irish intent and the upward trajectory that Italy are currently on, Osborne accepts that they need to be more consistent with their discipline after conceding ten penalties and a yellow card.

“Andy alluded to the intent factor in Paris and how it wasn’t really there. It wasn’t perfect against Italy but we brought a lot more intent.

“We had some very nice passages to play and it might have been a breakdown out wide or the last pass where we’d come undone. It was a lot more positive anyway. I know there’s a lot to work on but we can be pleased with the intent part of the game.

“Italy are a good side. They obviously beat Australia in the autumn, pushed South Africa, and they had a great win the week before against Scotland in tough conditions.

“I don’t think anyone should be looking at Italy now as a weaker team. They’re definitely right up there. It was such a team effort at the end.

“I think we’ll learn a lot about how we can manage that better and hope that we don’t put ourselves in those positions, around discipline and just giving them access. But I think the effort and the intensity at that (late) stage in the game was top notch.”

It is onwards to England now, and with Ireland picking up their first points of the Championship, and Steve Borthwick’s charges losing 31-20 to Scotland in Edinburgh, there is only a point between the teams ahead of their round 3 duel.

The 12-times capped Osborne to set to play against England for the first time in his career, and Ireland have a strong recent record in this fixture, winning four of the last five meetings. A last-gasp drop goal from Marcus Smith denied them when they last visited Allianz Stadium in 2024.

As an example of the consistency shown by Farrell’s men during a time when they have secured two Six Nations titles, including a Grand Slam and three Triple Crowns, they have won eight of their last 10 away matches in the Six Nations, and have not lost back-to-back games on the road since 2020-2021.

“This week is hugely exciting. I think Ireland versus England is a proper game in any sport. England at Twickenham…you’ve seen how good they’ve been recently at home. They played very well there against Wales.

“They lost against Scotland but they’re a team with very high confidence, and we’re probably a team that is starting to build now.

“We’re coming into it a little bit differently but I can’t wait to get stuck into them if selected. I think we’re building something good here,” added Osborne.

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