Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Ireland confirm four injury losses, three players released to clubs

By PA
Ireland's Jamie Osborne leaves the field versus Fiji (Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Jamie Osborne, Jacob Stockdale, Tadhg Furlong and Ryan Baird have been ruled out of Ireland’s Autumn Nations Series finale against Australia. Versatile Leinster back Osborne and Ulster wing Stockdale sustained groin and hamstring issues respectively during Saturday’s 52-17 win over Fiji.

ADVERTISEMENT

Prop Furlong has not featured at all this month due to a hamstring problem, while lock Baird suffered a head injury in his country’s 22-19 victory over Argentina on November 15.

Speaking about Osborne’s injury, Ireland forwards coach Paul O’Connell told a press conference: “He is a big loss. He is very versatile on the bench obviously. He covers so many different positions and is growing and getting better all the time. It’s a shame he is out. Hopefully it’s nothing too serious and he is back to us soon.”

Video Spacer

Boks Office – Looking ahead to 2025

Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
Duration 3:48
Loaded: 0%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 3:48
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions off, selected
    • en (Main), selected
    Video Spacer

    Boks Office – Looking ahead to 2025

    Saturday’s Dublin showdown with Joe Schmidt’s Wallabies will be Ireland’s final match before head coach Andy Farrell takes a break to lead next year’s British and Irish Lions tour of Australia.

    The Six Nations champions began November with a 23-13 loss to New Zealand before returning to winning ways against Los Pumas and Fiji. O’Connell also confirmed Connacht hooker Dave Heffernan, Leinster prop Jack Boyle and Ulster back-rower Nick Timoney have been released to their provinces.

    Team Form

    Last 5 Games

    5
    Wins
    2
    5
    Streak
    2
    22
    Tries Scored
    16
    60
    Points Difference
    0
    3/5
    First Try
    3/5
    3/5
    First Points
    4/5
    3/5
    Race To 10 Points
    3/5

    Former Ireland boss Schmidt, who replaced Eddie Jones as Australia coach in January, will return to the Aviva Stadium seeking a response to his side’s 27-13 defeat to Scotland. The Wallabies won 42-37 away to England and 52-20 against Wales before Sunday’s setback at Murrayfield.

    “He is an excellent coach,” O’Connell said of New Zealander Schmidt, who led Ireland to three Six Nations titles and a historic first win over the All Blacks between 2013 and 2019. “You cannot not work hard in a Joe Schmidt team. You will have a plan and you will know inside out how to deliver that plan.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    “When you have a team of good, talented players that is half the battle: be really clear on what your plan is and be really clear on how to deliver that plan, and Joe does that really well.

    “You can see with this Australian team flashes of improvement all the time. To go to Twickenham and score as many points as they did, to play the game in the way they did, to keep coming back the way they did shows where their belief and resolve has gotten to.

    “There will always be days like Scotland for every team. For us it is a big challenge and part of that is knowing what they bring because Joe has coached us before. We know how clear he can be and that clarity allows players to play with a lot of intent and a lot of physicality, so it is a big challenge.”

    Related

    Watch the highly acclaimed five-part documentary Chasing the Sun 2, chronicling the journey of the Springboks as they strive to successfully defend the Rugby World Cup, free on RugbyPass TV (*unavailable in Africa)

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Wolfhounds vs Gwalia | Celtic Challenge 2024/25 | Match Highlights

    Watch now: Lomu - The Lost Tapes

    O2 Inside Line: This Rose | Episode 2 | Ireland Week

    New Zealand vs Australia: Behind the Scenes with the Black Ferns Sevens Team | HSBC SVNS Embedded | E06

    O2 Inside Line: This Rose | Episode 1

    Argentina v Australia | HSBC SVNS Perth 2025 | Men's Final Match Highlights

    The Dupont Ploy: How France went from underdogs to Olympic gods | The Report

    Former rugby player is truly an NFL superstar | Walk the Talk | Jordan Mailata

    Boks Office | Episode 33 | Dupont's Toulouse Too Good

    Trending on RugbyPass

    Comments

    0 Comments
    Be the first to comment...

    Join free and tell us what you really think!

    Sign up for free
    ADVERTISEMENT

    Latest Features

    Comments on RugbyPass

    LONG READ
    LONG READ Brendan Fanning: 'It doesn’t matter how good or bad Wales are, what can Ireland do for themselves?' Brendan Fanning: 'It doesn’t matter how good or bad Wales are, what can Ireland do for themselves?'
    Search