Jamie Heaslip Couldn’t Have Summed Up Ireland’s Rivalry With England Any Better

If you have to motivate an Irishman when he’s taking on an Englishman there’s something seriously wrong.

Ireland take on England this weekend after a bitterly disappointing start to the Six Nations that saw them draw with Wales and narrowly lose to France in Paris, all but ending hopes of a third consecutive title.

Ireland’s injury list continues to grow leaving them with a serious lack of strength in depth, heading into the mammoth clash. There’s one thing however according to number eight, Jamie Heaslip that Ireland will not be lacking in- motivation. Speaking to The42, the Leinster man said:

It’s England. It’s Twickenham.” 

“If you can’t get motivated for a game like that, then get out of the changing room, to be honest.

“I’ve always said it; If you are an Irishman and you’re playing tiddlywinks against an Englishman, or chess or scrabble, you want to beat him, you know what I mean?

“It is very easy to be motivated. In terms of the losses, or one loss and one draw, I’ve been in that situation before. There is a core, not many, who have been in this situation before.

“We know which way it can go, we’ve got to be prepared. We’re pretty motivated, pretty driven for this opportunity.”

Saturday can’t come quick enough.