Jamie Osborne to Debut for Ireland vs. Springboks

Ireland's head coach Andy Farrell has made a surprising decision to start uncapped Jamie Osborne at fullback for the first Test against South Africa in Pretoria, despite Osborne not having played in that position for 18 months. Osborne, typically a centre for Leinster, replaces Hugo Keenan, who is preparing for the Paris Olympics with Ireland's sevens team. This choice reflects a significant vote of confidence in Osborne's abilities, as he will be tested by an experienced Springbok backline. Other notable selections include Craig Casey replacing the injured Jamison Gibson-Park at scrum-half and Peter O'Mahony captaining the team from blindside flanker. The Springboks have named 12 starters from their 2023 World Cup final victory, highlighting the tough challenge ahead for Ireland.