Osborne brings up milestone
Patrick Osborne’s time with the Highlanders is coming to an end, but not before he chalks up at least one more highlight
The Fijian-born wing will play his 50th match for the franchise in Dunedin tonight, when the Highlanders host the Stormers at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
Osborne, an uncapped Crusader in 2012 and a Super Rugby winner with the Chiefs in 2013, has played for the Highlanders since 2014 but will leave New Zealand to play fulltime in Japan at the end of the season.
The 29-year-old will link up with the Kubota Spears for a second season after this year’s Super Rugby competition, and plans to earn a contract extension with the Funabashi-based team.
Osborne, who has been limited to just three games this year due to knee and rib injuries, will start his 50th match for the Highlanders on the left-wing.
In a career highlighted by winning a second Super Rugby title with the Highlanders in 2015, Osborne isn’t about to play down what Friday will mean to him.
‘‘Winning the Super Rugby title was one of the biggest, but playing my 50th game for the team is right up there next to it. That and probably beating the Crusaders and the Chiefs,’’ he said.
In addition to winning two Super Rugby titles, Osborne won five National Provincial Competition (NPC) titles with Canterbury between 2010-15.
‘‘I’m just lucky enough to have been on very good teams and I’m just grateful to be apart of each team,’’ Osborne said.
His form in 2015 - and injuries to Waisake Naholo and Cory Jane -resulted in All Blacks coach Steve Hansen inviting him into camp to train with the squad.
However, he didn’t force his way into the team and went on to declare himself eligible for Fiji. He earned three test caps for his
Ben Smith (c), Waisake Naholo, Malakai Fekitoa, Rob Thompson, Patrick Osborne, Marty Banks, Aaron Smith, Liam Squire, Dillon Hunt, Gareth Evans, Tom Franklin, Alex Ainley, Siosuia Halanukonuka, Liam Coltman, Daniel Lienert-Brown. Reserves: Greg Pleasants-Tate, Aki Seiuli, Siate Tokolahi, Joe Wheeler, Jackson Hemopo, Kayne Hammington, Fletcher Smith, Matt Faddes.
Sarel Petrus Marais, Cheslin Kolbe, EW Viljoen, Dan Kriel, Dillyn Leyds, Robert du Preez, Jano Vermaak, Nizaam Carr, Pieter-Steph de Toit, Siya Kolisi, Jan de Klerk, Eben Etzebeth, Frans Malherbe, Bongi Mbonambi, Oli Kebble. Reserves: Ramone Samuels, Janse van Rensburg, Wilco Louw, Kobus van Dyk, Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Dewaldt Duvenage, Shaun Treeby, Bjorn Basson. 7.35pm tonight Glen Jackson country last year and is in line to add to his tally in the June test window, when Fiji play tests against Australia, Italy and Scotland.
Tonight’s match against the Stormers will mark the first time this season the injury-riddled Highlanders have named Osborne and All Blacks flyer Naholo on the wings together.
The pair formed a lethal combination the past couple of years, and the last time they got a crack at the Stormers - in Dunedin two years ago - they each bagged a double in a 39-21 win.
It was the Highlanders’ first win in seven attempts against the Stormers, who head into tonight’s round 10 match on the back of a 57-24 trouncing by the Crusaders last weekend.
The 6-2 Stormers, leaders of the Africa 1 conference, have named former Highlanders midfielder Shaun Treeby on their bench.