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Jonny Sexton and Isa Nacewa lift the Amlin Cup. ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan
jonny and isa

'Myself and Leo thought it was fitting for the lads to lift the cup' - Jamie Heaslip

Leinster’s stand-in captain was happy to stand back and let Jonny Sexton and Isa Nacewa take the plaudits.

JAMIE HEASLIP HAD a double agenda when he finally took his place in front of the press corp, following Leinster’s 34-13 Challenge Cup win over Stade Francais. The stand-in captain wanted to praise the entire squad and he wanted to get coach Joe Schmidt out on the lash.

Heaslip paid tribute to the back-room staff, coaches, squad players, fitness gurus and the A team that captured the B&I cup in Newcastle this evening. With that nicely done, he glanced at his boss.

Heaslip told TheScore.ie, “We’ll have to see if we can get Joe out tonight.”

Schmidt replied, “I’ll have to go out to look after you lot.”

The Ireland captain was tasked with leading Leinster against a Stade side eager to put it up to the Blues physically and capture a coveted European title. When the dust had settled, and with the fireworks primed, Heaslip consulted briefly with team captain Leo Cullen and stepped in with the bulk of his teammates. Outgoing stars Jonny Sexton and Isa Nacewa were left to lift the trophy together.

Heaslip explained, “Myself and Leo thought it was fitting that they lifted the cup… They epitomise what we want to strive for.”

It was left to Schmidt to reflect on the eight days he has left as Leinster coach. He deflected praise for his achievements but confessed that it will be a strange sensation to leave Leinster yet move up the road to the IRFU offices. He takes over Ireland after the summer tour. Schmidt told TheScore.ie:

If there’s a little bit of emotion [next week], if there’s a little drip in the eye, I won’t be surprised. It has been an incredible three years.”

It certainly has and, with Ulster coming to Dublin for the Pro12 Grand Final next Saturday, it is not over yet.

As it happened: Leinster v Stade Francais, Amlin Challenge Cup Final

Brilliantly-captured pic of Rob Kearney’s try in the Amlin Cup final

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