Heaslip taking Test rugby in his stride

Jamie Heaslip may have adjusted to Test rugby with impressive ease but the Ireland number eight takes little notice of his growing band of admirers.

Jamie Heaslip may have adjusted to Test rugby with impressive ease but the Ireland number eight takes little notice of his growing band of admirers.

Heaslip's long overdue elevation to the starting line-up against France has revitalised a back row that was becoming stale and toothless.

Scotland fell victim to his pace and vision at the base of the scrum and Wales will hope to do a better job of containing him when the Six Nations resumes at Croke Park on Saturday.

The only mystery surrounding the rookie 24-year-old was coach Eddie O'Sullivan's stubborn reluctance to elevate him above a fading Simon Easterby.

But Heaslip's prowess during the Six Nations has been noted on both sides of the Irish Sea and the Leinster forward admits he has taken the step up in class in his stride

“I've found the transition to international rugby okay,” said Heaslip.

“The only game that I found really fast was the first twenty minutes against France, which was like lightning.

“But apart from that I've been okay and have adjusted well to the pace.

“The fact I don't have many caps doesn't faze me. All I know is that I have two more than [Leinster team-mate] Robert Kearney, as I was telling him earlier in the week.

“You do hear the good things in the press, but people also write plenty of bad things too, so that balances it out.

“You have to put it into perspective and can't get carried away with yourself.

“I have my mates and they keep me rooted to the ground. A lot of attention comes with playing for Ireland but that doesn't bother me.”

Heaslip's comfort in the spotlight will be tested once again when he lines up opposite Wales skipper Ryan Jones on Saturday.

At 26 and with three Lions caps in the bank, Jones is a more seasoned campaigner but the rivals share a similarly dynamic style centred around ball carrying.

They have clashed before on Magners League duty and Heaslip is relishing the chance to shackle the marauding Ospreys number eight.

“I've played against Ryan so I know the sort of havoc he can cause,” he said.

“I'll definitely do my homework on him because he's a handful all right.

“I've been looking at him on TV and there's no doubt he'll cause some problems for us in the back row.

“But if I'm on top of my game then hopefully I'll be able to keep him somewhat quiet.”

While the Heaslip-Jones showdown is one of several eagerly awaited collisions, it is the duel on the sidelines that is attracting headline billing.

Wales coach Warren Gatland has unfinished business in Dublin, stemming from his acrimonious departure as Ireland boss in 2001.

Earlier in the week the Kiwi criticised the lack of loyalty shown by O'Sullivan, his former assistant who went on to replace him, to crank up simmering tensions.

The likes of Brian O'Driscoll and Ronan O'Gara, who were given their Ireland debuts by Gatland, may take interest in the stand-off but for Heaslip it is a bemusing side-show that has little relevance.

“I've never been coached by Warren so I can't comment on anything like that but there's obviously a bit of history there,” he said.

“My brother Graham was captain at Connacht when Gatland was coach there.

“I was young at the time. I met Warren once in the back of a car after a Connacht game.

“I said hello to him and then shut up because I didn't really know who he was. Graham later told me who he was.

“I just wanted to play and wasn't too concerned about what was going on with the coaches.”