Jamie Heaslip Has His Say On Bruising All Blacks Encounter

That’s international rugby lads.

Ireland vice-captain has brushed off claims that the All Blacks were too rough in their clash at the Aviva this past weekend. New Zealand’s adjudged cynical and dangerous play has been a hot topic since the clash but Heaslip thinks it’s part and parcel and time to move on.

“Yeah, playing against New Zealand. It is intense. That’s international rugby, lads,”

Speaking to the Irish Times, the Irish number eight says these things happen and some games are rougher than others. His focus now turns to Australia and reckons there’s no point complaining about it now.

“I am not concerned at all. You enter the game knowing there is a risk. It’s a physical game, you know,” he says.

“A lot of games, people get banged up – dead legs, tears, shoulders, knee, ankle. It’s a contact sport, people get hurt.

“They’re physical games. I’m not going to hide the fact that it’s a physical sport. You’re running into someone! Physics dictate there’s going to be impact, there’s going to be force and sometimes lads get banged up.

“Sometimes someone gets a shot in the head. A lad falls on you. You get a knee in the head. All sorts of things can happen, you know what I mean.”

Heaslip also touched on how proud he is of Ireland’s disciplinery record at this month’s series.

We’ve had eight penalties in total against New Zealand. That is an unbelievable stat to have,” says the number eight. “It means you don’t give easy access points or easy points.

“That’s why we put such an emphasis on it. It’s about detail and it could be as simple as not being late for a meeting. It could be the discipline to do that. Those small things have a knock-on effect.”

Ireland host Australia this weekend at the Aviva and will be hoping to bounce back from defeat with a win over Michael Cheika’s side.