Ireland team winners and losers as rookie’s ‘major weapon’ adds another threat to Springboks
Our winners and losers from Andy Farrell's Ireland selection to face the Springboks.
Following Andy Farrell’s Ireland team announcement, we select our winners and losers from his selection to tackle the Springboks at Loftus Versfeld.
Unsurprisingly, the Ireland boss has selected largely the same matchday 23 that did service in the Six Nations, except a few players who ruled themselves out of the tour.
There is a rare surprise selection from the head coach at full-back too as Ireland look to upset the Springboks in their own backyard for just the second time in their history.
Farrell’s matchday squad is brimming with experience and talent to match that of the Springboks, making for what promises to be a mighty encounter.
Winners
Jamie Osborne
For the past two years, perhaps even longer, the Ireland 23 for a big Test match has been rather straightforward and easy to predict.
There have been some exceptions to that role, notably Mack Hansen in 2022 and, to a far lesser extent, Joe McCarthy in the Six Nations this year.
But until reports emerged on the eve of the team announcement, few would have predicted Jamie Osborne in the starting line-up, and even fewer would have anticipated that he would start at full-back.
With Hugo Keenan ruling himself out of the tour to feature for the sevens team in the Olympics, there was always going to be a change at full-back with most pundits and fans guessing it would be Jimmy O’Brien or Ciaran Frawley, but Farrell had other ideas.
Osborne certainly deserves his shot after a phenomenal season for Leinster, but he featured predominantly in the centres for the Irish province this season, and last started a match for the side at full-back in November 2022.
His cannon boot will be another major weapon for Ireland on the highveld, but it will be a huge test for the rookie in front of a baying home crowd.
Garry Ringrose
It’s been a challenging season for Garry Ringrose who has spent most of it on the sidelines due to injury but is now back to full fitness and takes his place amongst the replacements.
There was a suggestion, not just from Rassie Erasmus, that the midfielder would break up the Bundee Aki-Robbie Henshaw combination in the starting XV, but that is not the case as he will look to make an impact in the latter stages of the fixture.
After missing all but one of Ireland’s Six Nations matches – coming off the bench against Scotland – and watching Leinster’s Investec Champions Cup from the sidelines and playing the semi-final against the Bulls, it will be great to see the centre back in action.
Calvin Nash
With the return to full fitness of O’Brien, Farrell may have been a tempted to select the versatile Leinster back on the wing in the place of Nash but the Munsterman retains the position and rightly so.
Nash impressed throughout the Six Nations and really did not deserve to lose his place in the event of a backline shuffle to combat some of the Springboks’ strengths.
He has been one of the Munster stars who have shone in South Africa in the URC and will look to replicate that form in the green jersey.
Craig Casey
With Jamison Gibson-Park ruled out of the series through injury, Farrell was always going to make a change at scrum-half, and Craig Casey certainly deserves his shot against a top team.
The 25-year-old grabs the starting jersey after a stellar season with Munster with one rare off-colour performance against Glasgow Warriors.
The diminutive number nine can provide the same quick service as Gibson-Park, and while Conor Murray would have been a safe selection, Casey is more than deserving of his shot with a full-strength Ireland team.
Andy Farrell
Despite the setbacks of losing Keenan, Jack Conan and Gibson-Park for the series, Farrell has named a strong matchday 23 to tackle the back-to-back world champions.
Osborne’s selection is a bit of a gamble considering he hasn’t played the role recently, but he is incredibly talented, while Conan’s void is filled by James Ryan, meaning they lose little experience. Meanwhile Casey would eventually need a big Test start and gets it.
Overall, the setbacks has been comfortably filled and Farrell will be confident that they can get the job done over the Boks.
Losers
Ciaran Frawley
The Leinster utility back is quickly becoming a key replacement for Ireland with his ability to fill in at fly-half, centre and full-back.
However, Frawley would have been eager to take a starting role against the Springboks, particularly with Keenan making himself unavailable.
He could still play a key role off the bench in the latter stages of the matches.
Nick Timoney
Had Farrell opted for a 6-2 split on the bench, as he did on three occasions during the Six Nations, then one has to think that Nick Timoney would have featured off the bench against the Springboks.
However, it was not to be as the form Ulsterman is overlooked in favour of lock/blindside flanker Ryan Baird as one of the five forwards.
Timoney is incredibly unlucky not to crack the 23 along with fellow back-rowers Cormac Izuchukwu and Cian Prendergast.
Oli Jager
A tough call for Farrell and scrum coach John Fogarty, with little splitting Finlay Bealham and Oli Jager as Tadhg Furlong’s replacement.
Both players enjoyed solid seasons for their provinces, and really, it seems to have come down to a judgement call, and Jager misses out on this occasion.
Jimmy O’Brien
Another back who is incredibly unlucky to miss out on the matchday squad and particularly the starting full-back jersey as O’Brien is beaten to the number 15 jumper by Osborne.
An uber-talented star, O’Brien has been riddled with injuries, and unfortunately, this time, he is fit and raring to go but still doesn’t crack the 23.
Stuart McCloskey
Much like the Springboks, Ireland have an embarrassment of riches in the centres with the excellent Stuart McCloskey missing out on the matchday 23.
Aki and Henshaw shone throughout the Six Nations and continued that form for their provinces, and while McCloskey impressed with Ulster, it was not enough to push ahead of either, while Ringrose also offers an option on the wing.
