Ireland captain Jamie Heaslip has stated that he is happy with his form despite his side's dismal finish to the Six Nations.
Ireland finished in fifth place, falling to losses against England, Scotland and Italy along with drawing against France, after a promising start by defeating future champions Wales in Cardiff.
Heaslip replaced Ireland legend Brian O'Driscoll as captain of the side and despite his side's finish, is happy with his performances in the championship, along with expressing his desire to travel with the Lions to Australia.
"I think I played well in four out of the five games," said Heaslip to Sky Sports.
"I was disappointed against England, it was a scrappy game, but I was very happy with my performances against Wales, Scotland, France and Italy despite the results.
"I've come to realise as captain you represent the team so you take the brunt of the criticism if things don't go well. It is part and parcel of captaincy.
"Whatever is said, though, it doesn't bother me. I have got thick skin. I will just continue to focus on my game and what the coaches say.
"There are so many really good back-row players across Ireland and Britain.
"You can't really think about it, you can only focus on yourself and your own game and then hope that your name is read out.
"It is obviously my aim to go on the tour and I will be doing my best to do so. Hopefully I will get picked - I will be bitterly disappointed if I am not."
Comments
Norm says...
See Melkdave
You have stumbled on an idea evidence lately would suggest we never thought of in Ireland. At least 2 players lined up for key positions. Jaysus good man yourself I am calling the IRFU straight away! (sadly I am not even being fascitious with the first part of that!)
Posted 20:34 25th March 2013
dass80 says...
as pointed out on earlier comments about getting his boots cleaned, thats the prob with half the team today did u ever see flannery wallace horgan hickie hayes or any player worry bout clean boots.. where is that dogged aggression gone from the team... hang up the boots and concentrate on the chippers jamie..
Posted 11:03 25th March 2013
mayhem says...
Gatland will pick on form, as suggested by McGeechan, so No, he doesnt go to Oz.
Posted 09:32 25th March 2013
makemehappy says...
A very sad figure on the field these days, surrounded only by those who think he is class.
Posted 20:46 24th March 2013
melkdave says...
Personnally ive never rated Heskip as an international class 8,a decent club player but international not by a long margin im afraid.Best 8 Ireland have is SOB,and they are wasting his ball carrting ability ect by playing him at 7 to accommadte Heslipbackrow should be 6)Ferris .Henderson 7)Henry-Ronan 8)SOB-O'Malley imo.As for him leading the lions ,he isnt even close to geting on the plane by anyones standard his been poor this year,and for the last 2-3 just like G.D'Arcy.
Posted 15:05 24th March 2013
JamieTheProp says...
Heaslip was awful against England as well as Scotland.
He really didn't have a good 6 Nations - as either a player or a captain.
Posted 08:00 24th March 2013
PatrickH says...
I think O'Mahony is more of a 7 than O'Brien. Back row should be Ferris, Henry, O'Brien when all fit. When Ferris is injured O'Brien 6 Heaslip 8.
As for Heaslip, he played well in every game bar Scotland.
The problem is it's not playing well that we're used to from Jamie, it's playing great. Unless he gets back to the standards, I'm sure he sets for himself, he shouldn't be starting for Ireland never mind the Lions.
Posted 21:50 22nd March 2013
irishzimbabwean says...
Spike 19 - I agree with most of what you say, but you have left Chris Henry out of your equation. Suggest Henry at openside, O'Brien at blindside and Heaslip at 8 (but take away the captaincy). O'Brien and Henry will be an excellent combination with Henry on the ground and O'Brien carrying.
Leinster_goy - time to go back to rehab.
Posted 13:57 22nd March 2013
99call says...
Its been very disappointing for all Irish fans to see a player of his quality struggle like he has for the past few games, I honestly thought he would kick on after the Pumas game in the autumn and show us that he was the right man to take the team forward post BOD.
But apart from the Wales game he has had a string of bad performances as have all the other irish players so to single him out would be a bit harsh, if he wasnt the captain we wouldnt be having this discussion.
Its difficult to come out of that 6n with anything good to say about any of the players apart from Zebo, Marshall and Gilroy who showed what they can do at this level but when a team falls apart from injuries during matches its impossible to work to any sort of gameplan, for example by the time OMahony had moved onto the wing against Italy I knew we werent going to win.
So does Heaslip go to AUS, yes probably, does he get in the test team?, probably not unless there are some unfortunate injuries or he performs head and shoulders above everyone else in the build up matches
Posted 12:50 22nd March 2013
Norm says...
Goy
Victimised because he was born in israel? Now you have thrown up some doozys before but that one takes the breath away.
The fact heaslip feels that his performance was good enough to be honest should alone, warrant being dropped from the captaincy and possibly the squad. Irelands biggest limitation is not in talent, it is in the approach of the whole operation. And these comments I am afraid are a great example of where it is going wrong. The 'we're nearly there' head in the sand approach.
Regarding Jamie, am sorry the most stand out memory for me was 20 mins into the Welsh game, while Sexton is lining up a penalty. What was the skipper doing, having a chat with members of his team? No sitting on his arse having his white boots cleaned. Great talent resides in Heaslip and yes his role has changed to a less glamourous one, but I am sorry he is not at the races at test level, and the above just confirms to me his head is not where it should be.
After our worst performance ever in the Six nations, the skipper rather than make a statement about where team is says 'well I played alright at least!' Aside from suggesting his mind is only concerned about where he is at and not the team, it is also a sad endictment about what he feels a world class skipper and #8 should play and behave like.
Sorry but this guy need to head to the corner for a long chat to himself imo
Posted 12:39 22nd March 2013
ciaran1792 says...
I think he actually was in good form could be better but he was in good form. He was breaking tackles getting his hands free and nobody was running off his shoulder to take the offload. The amount of times during the Italy and France game he broke tackles and was looking for the off load to have nobody there and have to go to ground.
Though that said he has to get more vocal with his players and with the referee without sounding like a whinge bag. He is the captain he needs to start thinking if the line out is malfunctioning and our fly half is inaccurate and we are in their 22 we should take the quick tap or tap and go from a free rather than risk the line out that way we can make the other team infringe and get one of them sin binned.
I think that James Caughlin deserves to be called up and given a game is well and I am a leinster fan but I have no bias i think if your good enough you should be picked I would like to see Rory Best dropped and Sherry brought on. Heaslip was considered one of the worlds best eights at one time he needs to get his 09 form back if he wants to stay captain.
Donacha Ryan also has to take the responsibility for the line out calls. If he seen that Best was inaccurate with the throw then he should have started to call them to the front of the line out just to at least secure your own ball. This team need a good kick up the rear end and a new coach I think will whip them into shape.
Posted 11:55 22nd March 2013
Dougie says...
leinster_goy you're becoming a parody of yourself. Because he was born in Israel? I'd say most people don't even know that, and is it something particular to Israel or does it apply to anyone born outside Ireland?
Have you just let slip the reason why Leinster fans don't like ROG?
Posted 11:29 22nd March 2013
Gleek says...
He was pretty poor I thought. Didn't carry, not a great line out forward, average defender. He was atrocious against England but 5/10 in every other game. If he is genuinely content with that sort of impact on the team then we need look no further for the root of his decline.
I too would like to see O'Brien get a run at 8. @Spike O'Mahoney does a lot of spoiling work and contributes a lot around the field, but you're right, he is not a physical freak in the Ferris mold. I'd like to see Henderson develop as a lock though as we are very shallow there whilst we are relatively flush with blindsides - Ferris, Ruddock, O'Mahoney, Muldoon, Dave O'Callaghan, McLuaghlin are all international standard.
Posted 11:11 22nd March 2013
leinster_goy says...
brilliant player. 3 european cup winners medals in his back pocket pretty much negates all the criticism. i don't recall other irish captains getting so much stick when the team was underachieving before 2009, or 2010-2012 (and playing with full-strength sides most of time as well)
i've said it before and i'll say it again: the reason Jamie gets so much stick, particularly from supporters below the mason-dixon line, is because he was born in israel
Posted 10:48 22nd March 2013
spike19 says...
Heaslip did not have a bad campaign but neither did he produce the kind of blockbusting performance that made him the lions test 8 in 2009. If you were rating the performance of number 8s in this championship this year its hard to say that Heaslip performed as well as his opposite numbers Picamoles, Parisse, Faletau, and Beattie.
One thing all these players did throughout the championship which is the core role of any number 8 is carry and carry hard. For Ireland this role was fulfilled by the ever bulldozing O'Brien who's carrying was almost too affective as he became isolated on several occasions. O'Brien is hugely talented and can cover 6,7 and 8 but I've always believed that 8 is his best position, no one else can get over the gain line for first phase ball like he can.
I'm not so sure it was the right decision to give the captaincy to a player struggling for form in his own position. Despite the injuries the make up of the backrow looks unbalanced with O'Brien playing at 7 but filing the role of 6 there is no out and out openside and it would have been good to see Tommy O'Donnell have a run at 7 as his form has been excellent for Munster and he fills that role that Ireland need a link man/scrounger who can also carry.
Also Ian Henderson has a lot more to offer than O'Mahony at 6, he combines great balls skills with immense size. O'Mahony is a great player but does not get over he gain line as he is too small and is better coming off the bench for impact. At 6 you need a monster like Kaino, Burger, Collins or Ferris someone who puts in those thunderous hits that change the momentum and someone who can carry and swat away defenders like flies.
Future Back row: 6 Henderson, 7 O'Donnell, O'Brien
Posted 10:37 22nd March 2013
Irishzimbabwean says...
I think he might sneak into the Lions party based on past performance and Leinster form - most certainly not on Ireland form in the Six Nations!
Posted 10:12 22nd March 2013
JamieTheProp says...
Really?
Glad someone is!
Posted 10:00 22nd March 2013