Three weeks ago, I had the chance to interview Jamie Heaslip for the launch of Headbomz, a campaign designed to empower children to talk about their feelings.
Heaslip had been out with a back injury for nearly a year at this stage and had spent the last 11 months refusing to shed more than the slightest tidbit of information about his injury.
Fans sat in hope that a return would envelop, but all I could think of was the history of 34-year-old backrowers with serious back injuries that made a successful return to their former glory, and as you can imagine, it was a list that was slim next to none.
Instead of pressing him for answers on a return, I talked to him about his enrollment at Harvard University’s Business of Entertainment, Media, and Sports program and about his legacy as a rugby player.
“My ultimate goal is the jersey and to leave it in a better place,” Heaslip said.
“I want to be able to look back and say ‘from my first game for Leinster and Ireland to my last’, whenever that may be, that I helped play a small part in leaving the jersey in a better place.
“That’s the overriding goal or purpose. It’s not to win stuff because winning is finite. What do you do when you win something?
“What do you do when you get the nomination? I always want to chase. I always want that challenge and that’s what drives me.”
Heaslip then went on to add how he was constantly chasing incremental gains over his career and it was self-improvement that motivated him the most during his final few years as a player.
To be fair to him, the final full year of his career culminated in a World Rugby Player of the Year nomination, but his legacy is interesting.
Firstly, there’s the medal count.
3 Six Nations
1 Grand Slam
3 European Cups
3 league titles
1 Challenge Cup
2 Lions Tours
1 Try of Yearhttps://t.co/246Ux992aW— Pat McCarry (@patmccarry) February 26, 2018
Then there were the individual accolades. The 2010 IRUPA Supporters player of the year. A World Rugby Player of the Year nominee in both 2009 and 2016. An EPCR European Player of the Year nominee in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2015.
Heaslip has one of the most impressive CV’s of any Irish player ever, but he was also a lightning bolt for criticism.
There was the Jamie Payslip moniker, after it was revealed in 2014 that he had signed a landmark deal with the union believed to be worth more than €1.5m over three years.
There was a belief that he coasted at number eight for years due to a lack of competition around him, and when CJ Stander became internationally eligible, there were loud calls for the Munster backrower to replace him at the back of the scrum.
There was, at times, a perceived stand-offish demeanour during interviews. There was the fact that he had blocked multiple journalists on Twitter.
The arrival of Stander was about the only criticism that I could accept, especially with the likes of Peter O’Mahony sitting on the bench, but all of the other criticisms did exist and some are still voiced to this day.
Pity Jamie Heaslip won't see most of the tributes journos post because he's blocked most of them.
— Kieran Cunningham (@KCsixtyseven) February 26, 2018
Heaslip was appreciated by both supporters and the media, despite what it may look like, although the criticism did create a narrative where it became a somewhat ‘us against them’ situation, with former Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll alluding to the fact that you had to play with Heaslip to appreciate his true abilities as a player.
There was an outpouring of tributes for Heaslip after his retirement announcement on Monday, so many of which, were from his teammates.
Sad to see injury forcing @jamieheaslip into early retirement. What a servant to @leinsterrugby, @IrishRugby & @lionsofficial he’s been. A terrific professional and incredibly savvy player that you could only fully appreciate as a team mate. pic.twitter.com/3JijdYnpAe
— Brian O'Driscoll (@BrianODriscoll) February 26, 2018
"It's a sad day, but it's important that we celebrate one of the greatest players that's ever played for Leinster."
Leo Cullen speaks about @jamieheaslip's remarkable career.#ThanksJamie pic.twitter.com/bTgQIgJKTh
— Leinster Rugby (@leinsterrugby) February 26, 2018
It has been incredible to get to know @jamieheaslip as a player and a person. For me he set the standard with professionalism so I did my best to copy him. So many great memories in Green and Blue and looking forward seeing you go well in your next chapter. Thanks Jamie pic.twitter.com/E0WoCNrH7X
— Ian madigan (@Ian_madigan) February 26, 2018
Heaslip, by all accounts, appears to tick all the boxes of a players’ player, but he was so much more.
Ireland soccer international Glenn Whelan is a players’ player, a midfielder who is praised constantly by his teammates, yet, who everyone else is trying to figure out how on earth he has 83 Ireland caps.
Jamie Heaslip is one of Ireland’s greatest ever players but it may not necessarily be how he is remembered.
To some, he will be one of the most overrated players to play for Ireland, while realistically, he is just one of five Irish players to have ever been nominated for the World Rugby Player of the Year award; with the other four including Jonathan Sexton, Gordon D’Arcy, Brian O’Driscoll and Paul O’Connell.
His resume stacks up there with the very best. He was praised throughout his career by his teammates. He was ultra consistent.
He was a good line-out jumper, a great ball carrier, a brave defender and a leader on the pitch and in the dressing room.
His stand out highlights will be his 2009 try against France and his try saving tackle on Stuart Hogg during Ireland’s final game of the 2015 Six Nations, which, ultimately won Joe Schmidt’s side that year’s tournament.
The French try and the Hogg tackle are the moments that stick out above the rest, and are also the clips that are doing the rounds on social media today, but Heaslip was a beacon of consistency for nearly his entire international career.
He will be remembered by fans for the aforementioned moments, his teammates for his professionalism, and hopefully by all of us, for one of the finest careers Irish Rugby has ever seen.
A legacy that will last.
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