JAMIE HEASLIP IS back in the Ireland team and despite gloomy suggestions from elsewhere, the number eight never feared that his Six Nations was over.
The 31-year-old suffered three fractured vertebrae during the clash against France in round two, when second row Pascal Papé drove his keen into Heaslip’s back to earn himself a yellow card.
The Frenchman was deservedly banned for his actions but recalling the incident now, Heaslip can only think of Joe Schmidt’s voice in his head.
“I just thought it was bloody sore and I had better get up,” explained Heaslip after Ireland announced their team to face Wales this weekend.
I kind of strangely heard Joe in my head screaming at me to get up. I didn’t know if it was a knee or a shoulder, or whatever it is, and I tried to get on with it. But it stiffened up and I had to come off.”
The official prognosis from the Ireland camp was that Heaslip would be absent for “approximately” four weeks, with the hope all along being that the Leinster captain would be fit to return against the Welsh.
That news came after some sources had suggested Heaslip’s Six Nations, maybe even his season, was potentially over.
“I don’t personally listen to the outside sources, I listen to our trusted medical team and they gave me some very, very good guidance,” stated Heaslip firmly in relation to such reports.
“I kind of live in a little bubble of day-to-day and week-to-week, so it makes life very easy for me not to think too far down the line. With an injury you have to go day-by-day and everyday it was getting really, really good and progressed really well.
“We mapped out a really good, clear plan in terms of ticking the boxes I had to tick in our recovery protocol and I ticked them along the way. I’m good to go.”
Heaslip says there was a degree of frustration in being “held back on a leash a little bit” coming back from what sounded like such a serious injury, evening if it was “probably for my own good.”
Was there some possibility he could have played against England? Held back on a leash how?
“It’s just an expression. I’m a stubborn git and Joe knows that better than anyone. It’s just that I want to live life at 100 miles an hour and sometimes that’s not the smartest thing to do.
“All the medical staff and backroom staff were great in helping me get back on my own two feet. It’s great to get the opportunity to wear the jersey again on Saturday.”
