'I’VE NEVER SEEN A PLAYER WITH THE FEEL HE HAS FOR THE GAME'
JAMIE OSBORNE’S performance for Leinster against La Rochelle was a subject of discussion on Rugby Weekly Extra today, the podcast for subscribers to The 42.
The left-footed centre played every minute of Saturday evening’s quarter-final, earning plaudits in the process.
“The Osborne performance was really exciting,” said Murray Kinsella, rugby journalist with The 42. “He just looks like he has the head for it as well as all the obvious skills. He seemed to be loving that stage and didn’t seem to be in any way overawed by it.”
Kinsella added: “Back in 2021 Johnny Sexton went to Andy Farrell, he said, ‘There’s this young guy coming through Leinster and I’ve never seen a player with the feel he has for the game’.
“Because Osborne’s big and he’s got technical skills you can kind of miss that, but he is an intuitive player, he’s got real smarts. I remember how excited Johnny Sexton – who is a good judge of player and he’s seen some great ones in his time – was back then.
“Osborne has showed that (ability) loads of time. This was on an even bigger stage, and he can play a few different positions but he’s really at home there now to the extent that you didn’t really miss Garry Ringrose, which is mad to think. And if he’s going to be out for a little bit longer then it’s a great assurance, having Osborne there. Charlie Ngatai is missing as well, through injury, having only just got back training recently so they were down a couple of guys but he stepped up to the mark in a really impressive way.
“I know Ireland, the coaching staff there, are really excited about what Osborne can do in the next few years and he was involved in the World Cup pre-season.
“He was one of the few guys who just played brilliantly (against La Rochelle) to the extent that the endgame wasn’t a factor at all. It just wasn’t, like it has been in the last few years.”
Also on today’s pod, there are transfer rumours, with Bernard giving a steer on Andrew Goodman’s potential replacement as Leinster attack coach, and the lads discussing the eastern province’s potential signing of an All Black centre.
There were annoying days for Ulster and Connacht in the Challenge Cup: Berch and Murray try to make sense of two deflating defeats as well as the provinces’ diminishing returns in Europe, Leinster aside.
Plus, a year after suffering a debilitating defeat to the same opposition, Ireland women blew away Wales in Cork to change the complexion of their Six Nations campaign.
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2024-04-15T15:42:26Z dg43tfdfdgfd