Less than an hour after Ireland announced a team containing Jamie Osborne to play Portugal in Lisbon (7pm Irish time, live on Virgin Media), head coach Andy Farrell contacted the Irish management to inform them that the Leinster back was required to join the Lions in Australia.
Scotland’s Blair Kinghorn sustained a knee injury against the Brumbies and while the news was positive, Osborne has been summoned to Australia as cover. The player had been due to win a ninth cap in partnering Stuart McCloskey in the centre for Ireland against Portugal.
The 21-year-old uncapped centre Hugh Gavin is promoted from the bench to the starting team with Munster’s Calvin Nash coming into the replacements.
Ireland’s interim coach Paul O’Connell has made six changes to the run-on team – there are eight in total – that beat Georgia 34-5 for Saturday’s Test match.
Two more uncapped players - Connacht wing Shayne Bolton and Munster flanker Alex Kendellen - join Gavin in the starting team.
There are three changes in the backline, the 25-year-old Bolton replacing the luckless Jacob Stockdale who has returned home with a shoulder injury, while Jack Crowley will make his 26th appearance in an Ireland jersey alongside Craig Casey, who once again captains the team.
There are three changes to the pack. Tom Ahern, who won a first cap as a replacement in Tbilisi starts alongside Darragh Murray in the secondrow while Kendellen and Cian Prendergast replace Nick Timoney and Gavin Coombes respectively in the backrow.
Kendellen led Emerging Ireland on last year’s winning tour to Bloemfontein. Prendergast was a late withdrawal from the match 23 last weekend with a gastro bug.
Tom O’Toole is promoted to the bench having shaken off an injury niggle while Ciarán Frawley will cover outhalf. The 21-year-old Galway native Gavin is a former Ireland Under-20 Grand Slam winner, and like his provincial teammate Bolton scored on his Ireland ‘A’ debut in February.
Portugal will become the 21st country that Ireland has awarded caps against and the first ‘new’ nation since facing Russia in 2002.
Speaking to the media before the Osborne news broke, O’Connell said: “I have been really pleased with the attitude of the players over the last number of weeks. The dedication and diligence of the squad in testing conditions over in Tbilisi demonstrated the players’ willingness to embrace challenges and hopefully that bodes well again this weekend.
“This Saturday presents another opportunity to go out and try to play our game. Portugal are another impressive emerging side who look to play an exciting brand of rugby, and we know that we’re in for another battle hopefully in front of another big crowd of travelling supporters.
“To our three new debutants - Shayne, Alex and Hugh – congratulations on their selection. The team will try to deliver a positive performance for them and their families.”
Following confirmation of Osborne’s Lions call up, O’Connell said: “On behalf of the Ireland team I would like to congratulate Jamie on his selection to the British & Irish Lions.
“It’s fantastic news for Jamie and we wish him well in Australia. Jamie has been a consistent performer for Leinster and Ireland and I’m sure he’ll be a great addition to the Lions squad.”
Ireland: J O’Brien (Leinster/Naas); T O’Brien (Leinster/UCD), H Gavin (Connacht/Galwegians), S McCloskey (Bangor/Ulster), S Bolton (Connacht); J Crowley (Munster/Cork Constitution), C Casey (Munster/Shannon, capt); J Boyle (Leinster/UCD), G McCarthy (Leinster/UCD), T Clarkson (Leinster/Dublin University); T Ahern (Munster/Shannon), D Murray (Connacht/Buccaneers); R Baird (Leinster/Dublin University), A Kendellen (Munster/UCC), C Prendergast (Connacht/UCD).
Replacements: T Stewart (Ulster/Ballynahinch), Michael Milne (Munster/UCD), T O’Toole (Ulster/Ballynahinch), C Izuchukwu (Ulster/Ballynahinch), M Deegan (Leinster/Lansdowne), B Murphy (Connacht/Clontarf), C Frawley (Leinster/UCD), C Nash (Munster/Young Munster).
