JAMIE HEASLIP RETIREMENT PIECE
By Daire Walsh
After spending close to a year on the sideline because of injury, Naas’ Jamie Heaslip officially announced his retirement from professional rugby yesterday morning.
The 34-year-old brings the curtain down on a glittering career that has seen him procure a succession of major honours at both provincial and international level. A former student of Newbridge College, Heaslip claimed the last of his 95 Ireland caps in a Six Nations defeat to Wales in March of last year.
A lower back injury sustained in the warm-up for the following weekend’s clash with England at the Aviva Stadium has kept him sidelined since then – and despite undertaking an intensive period of rehabilitation, he has decided to call it a day.
Indeed, though his contract with the IRFU ran until the end of next year’s Rugby World Cup in Japan, Heaslip insists he is going out on his own terms.
“A lot of players unfortunately don’t get the opportunity to bow out on their own terms. But thankfully, having taken my time and after medical advice and consultation with my wife and close family, I have taken this decision with my future well-being in mind,” he told leinsterrugby.ie.
“Since my rugby journey began pulling on a jersey in Naas, to Newbridge College and Dublin University, all I’ve ever wanted was to represent Leinster. But I’ve been lucky enough to exceed even my own wildest dreams with a career that I am hugely proud of – with Leinster, Ireland and with the British & Irish Lions.”
Widely regarded as Ireland’s finest No8 in the professional era (the late, great Anthony Foley is perhaps the closest challenger to that title), Heaslip made his Leinster debut in 16-12 defeat to Neath Swansea Ospreys at Donnybrook in March 2005.
He would go on to make 229 first-team appearances for the Blues, scoring a total of 38 tries.
While competition for places was fierce at the time, Heaslip handed his Irish debut in a comfortable 61-17 win over the Pacific Islands at Lansdowne Road back in November 2006. His Six Nations bow didn’t arrive until February 2008 – a Championship that ended with Ireland languishing in fourth place.
However, hope springs eternal, and 2009 provided Heaslip with some of his greatese memories in rugby.
He started in all five of Ireland’s games in their magnificent Grand Slam triumph under new coach Declan Kidney, scoring tries in victories over France and Scotland.
He had already tasted Celtic League with Leinster by this point, but they had flattered the deceive in European competitions. That all changed in the months that followed, and Heaslip touched down in the 49th-minute of their groundbreaking Heineken Cup final win at the expense of Leicester.
This kick-started a power shift within the Irish provinces, and he was a key figure at the base of the scrum for subsequent Heineken Cup (2011 and 2012) and Challenge Cup (2013) victories. Leinster were also back-to-back PRO12 champions in 2013 and 2014 – with Heaslip leading out the side for the latter final against Glasgow Warriors.
Following a period of significant underachievement, Ireland later regained the Six Nations title under Joe Schmidt in the same year, and backed it up with a nail-biting final day triumph in 2015.
In addition to his appearances at two World Cups, Heaslip also represented the British & Irish Lions on their 2009 and 2013 tours – becoming a series winner in Australia during the latter.
He has left an indelible mark on Irish rugby in the past decade, and leaves the likes of CJ Stander and Jack Conan will big shoes to fill in the years to come.