Andy Farrell: Jamie Osborne skillset makes him a perfect fit at 15

Nobody but Andy Farrell saw Jamie Osborne's Ireland debut coming as a full-back.

In the days and weeks leading up to Saturday's first Test against South Africa in Pretoria, the 22-year-old wasn't even among the contenders being spoken of to fill the vacant 15 shirt in the series.

With Hugo Keenan away with the Sevens team, Jordan Larmour was the incumbent having started at full-back in Ireland's final Six Nations game when Keenan was injured. Jimmy O'Brien was the expected starter, having impressed in the position for Leinster late this season, while also having some credit in the bank with Farrell. Ciarán Frawley, meanwhile, was also in the hunt, although he was more likely to be back-up out-half.

It was Osborne, however, who got the nod, in a selection that caught everyone by surprise, even Rassie Erasmus. The Springboks' head coach started stirring the pot early last Saturday when he laid out his predicted Irish team for this week, but had O'Brien at full-back.

Osborne at full-back isn't a selection he would have predicted; while the Naas man played 15 for Ireland at U20 level three years ago, his senior rugby has almost exclusively been played in the centre, with just two of his 48 appearance for Leinster at full-back, the last of which was more than 18 months ago.

Farrell (below), however, believes he ticks all the boxes.

"His skillset is very interesting for us to see," the Ireland coach said at the team's Johannesburg base this afternoon.

"He's obviously going to add to our performance. From what I've seen lately in the back end of the URC season is that whenever he plays, he's got presence, it doesn't matter what position he plays.

"He suits the way we play, he's bright, he gets on the ball a lot in an organising way.