CONNACHT HOOKER DAVE Heffernan wants to lay down a big performance in France and show new Ireland coach Andy Farrell what he is capable of after being included in the Six Nations squad.
The 28-year old from Ballina, Co. Mayo picked up his only Irish cap against the USA in New Jersey in the summer of 2017 and is keen to add to that after getting the nod from Farrell.
Heffernan was one of three hookers called into Farrell’s first Ireland get-together before Christmas, and after the retirement of Rory Best he feels the race to replace the former Ireland hooker remains wide open.
Heffernan is currently battling it out with Tom McCartney and Shane Delahunt for the starting Connacht shirt, one of the most competitive positions at the Sportsground, and he hopes to add to his single Ireland cap in the coming weeks.
“I was a great camp. It was really good to be involved there. It seems really exciting. Look it’s hard to know from a one-day camp,” said Heffernan, speaking at Connacht’s weekly media briefing this week prior to his selection.
“It was very quick — we just had a few meetings and an intense-enough training session. It was just great to be in there and just trying to get used to things, and to know what the expectations are going forward if you’re lucky enough to get involved.
Look, I really enjoyed my time up there and am looking forward to building on that. Obviously Rory Best had the jersey pretty much locked down for the last number of years. There probably is a bit of an opening there. But again, there’s a lot of competition.
“I mean, look at all the other guys in the provinces and the guys here as well are all playing well. So yeah, I’d say, pretty much, it is one of the positions [with Ireland] that may be more open than others.”
Ulster’s Rob Herring and Leinster’s Rónan Kelleher have also been named in the Ireland squad with the surprise omission of Munster’s Niall Scannell, while Leinster’s Sean Cronin also misses out.
Herring has eight Ireland caps to his name and Kelleher has yet to debut, but playing against the team currently sixth in the French Top 14 standings, Heffernan hopes he can enhance his claim this weekend.
After away defeats to Toulouse and Gloucester earlier in the pool, last weekend’s home loss against Toulouse ended Connacht’s hopes of qualification. And like against the four-time winners, he thinks Montpellier’s pack will try to test the power of the western province’s scrum.
“The Toulouse scrum did a job on us at the end of the game there so that’s something we had to look back on. It was tough viewing, all right.
It’s an area I’m sure they (Montpellier) will be targeting after looking at that game. We did really well at the start of the game; it was just the last couple of scrums went against us. I’m sure they’ll see that as an opportunity to go after us there.
“After last weekend we had a lot of good honest conversations. It was tough for the squad but constructive as well. And there’s a lot a lot to learn from that game.
“There was a lot of frustrating things, but the one positive was that we did put in at least a much-improved performance than the previous couple weeks, which were very disappointing to be honest.
“It was a small step in the right direction, but still a long way off where we need to be.”
Hope so tipp are the only county that have no fear off kk.
If Tipp had no fear of Kilkenny I honestly think that they would have beating them more over the last few years,in 09 they panicked and got a red card,10 everything went right for them,11 they just didn’t turn up,12 they catastrophic collapse in the 2nd half,13 they somehow lost against a badly patched up KK team that was missing half and the other half were playing with injuries and then in 2014 they just couldn’t win even though it was probably the best 1-15 team performance of modern times.They all played UNREAL that day! And then this year it was like a false dawn for them.I’m a Kilkenny fan and Im not being biast but I really question that attitude.I have seen all their shortcomings in the last few years,I think that when push comes to shove that they lack something…….. I don’t know what,but Iv seen enough to have a hunch that I would question them rather than saying Kilkenny are just a great team.And this is coming from a Kilkenny man!
Absolute spot on analysis from you Ionatan with a fada ,Tipp do have the leaders in the team when it counts.
Do not not not not
I realise his commitments mean he is a busy but personally I’d love to Eamon O Shea appointed to a Director of Hurling type roll within the game, whatever your view on his successes or failure’s with, any true hurling person will have to agree that his brand of hurling and philosophy on the game is exactly where the sport should be moving. How many of the genuine hurling classics over last 6 years are down to his attacking free flowing style of hurling. Would love to see it implemented across the hurling landscape…
Hurling has always been attacking and free flowing! there was very few classics last year but overall its always been a fast paced game you cant attribute that to oshea
If they have as much success in the next 10 years as they did with O’Shea as manager it won’t be a good legacy will it!!!
@ OneDay
Does your anus ever get jealous of the sh!+ that flows from your mouth
Another article another negative comment
Negative but true. One Munster title in 3 years for a top team like Tipp is pathetic.
Brian Cody has left a legacy, forget the rest. Winning All Ireland’s is the only stat that counts. Fanning and Tipp may forget the talk of legacys and past managers as currently Tipp’s time is passing them by.
Spot on! One All Ireland from the team that was going to do a 5 in a row! Truly dreadful.
But it’s 5 titles in 8 yrs, it depends what slant you put on it OneDay, it’s your negative comments towards any other county bar Kilkenny that is pathetic
It’s one Munster title in 3 years with O’Shea as manager. There is no other slant to put on it.
All other hurling teams are rubbish. Kilkenny are the only team who are enjoyable to watch.
So OneDay I’ll ask you once again, are you a liar or just someone who jumps on the bandwagon, as you have already said you neither come from or live in kilkenny. Simple question asked, simple answer required.
No
Hon the mines, we have a shit record , 5 al Ireland’s in the last 45 years , jasus even Clare have won 3 and lads are talking about legacies , tipp hurling is a joke , all the talk after 2010 senior and 21 wins , ya tipp will be around for a long time , take a look at what has happened since = jack shit
Let’s be honest at the start of summer it’s an all ireland the big teams want not a provincial championship
“One day Frank from killkenny” is still telling porkies, poor chap has such bitterness and is so far up his own hole he is lost in in his own shite.
Some legacy lost lost lost !!
Where did ya get that from gary?
10 years of failure
Scholars full a scutter like the auld lad.
I see you don’t have the balls to show your face either , great lad hiding behind this site , a coward
Mike Meara from Toom won a lot for tipp didn’t he declan.
A lot more that you did you piece of shit
Hon the mines , I wonder who is in there let have a guess, Sean Q is that you?