JAMIE HEASLIP HAS signed a new three-year contract, the IRFU confirmed today, ending the long-running saga over the Leinster and Ireland back-row’s future.
The IRFU will be celebrating yet another contract market success this evening, having also recently tied Sean O’Brien, Paul O’Connell and Keith Earls to central deals for the next two years. Heaslip’s signature has been fought over for some months, with Top 14 side Toulon offering the Lions back row an attractive deal.
The No. 8 and his agent Damien O’Donohoe of Ikon Talent are understood to have visited the Mediterranean coast-based outfit’s facilities, but ultimately RCT president Mourad Boudjellal could not convince Heaslip to make a permanent move.
The 30-year-old says he is pleased to be staying in Ireland.
It is great to have signed on for another three years with Leinster. Leinster is where I wanted to continue playing and I am happy that the process is now at end. I am looking forward to playing my role in driving success for both Leinster and Ireland.”
Heaslip also posted a message on his personal Instagram page, thanking his agent and Leinster CEO Mick Dawson.
Speaking on behalf of the IRFU, CEO Phillip Browne echoed Heaslip’s sentiments.
“We are delighted that Jamie has committed his future to Leinster and Ireland for the next three years. He has been one of most consistent performers and top number eights in world rugby for many years and has played a starring role for Leinster, Ireland and the Lions.”
Meanwhile, Leinster’s Mick Dawson expressed his relief that the province will be holding on to one of their most consistent and important players.
“We are delighted that Jamie has signed a new IRFU contract which keeps him at Leinster up to the end of the 2017 season. Jamie has played a massive role in Leinster’s success over the past six or seven years, he is a key leader within the squad and he will play an integral part in the club’s plans to compete for silverware in the years to come.”
Fair play to the IRFU on winning the battle of contracts with France!…onwards and upwards!!!
At least the Irish players are standing up to the French and not flocking over there like most nations players are.
Excellent. Though I doubt some of the other back row players at Leinster will be happy at missing out filling the vacant position. Still, great news.
Everyone knew he wouldn’t go to France just looking for more money, he also knew there are plenty more players to take his place.
100%. Loves himself too much…….
Great player and it’s good news he’s staying.
Doesn’t mean he played the game well, probably drove his salary up and probably deservedly so. Some may think he’s selfish, but those are the idiots who in a similar position would do the same thing.
Jealous farts.
Still feel he,s not the player he was and will be under pressure to hold his place for whole campaign
In related news Halfpenny has left Wales to join Toulon. Irish rugby is still solid, Welsh in tatters.
Yeah Wales are in tatters….6 nations champions the past 3 years.
Sorry 2 years !
Yes Paul and since they have lost many if their best. If the clubs are never qualifing for HC quarters then fans will lose interest leading into financial meltdown. A successful international team needs a large pool of competative players
So basically he used the interest to get a better contract, was one big bluff as far as I can see. Any of them looking at Sexton’s experience in France thus far would be wary of the dangers of the Top 14 on their bodies. Great News for Ireland and the IRFU.
What’s wrong with Sexton? He’s played a few more matches than normal due to injuries to the other outhalves but other than that I don’t think he’s putting his body in any serious danger. Do you have information suggesting otherwise?
Spot on Tony
Sextons actually pretty much playing as he would be here (excepting a few more games).
He’s earning double his salary from here, is experiencing the best league rugby there is, and living in a amazing city. And he is still Ireland first choice outhalf by a long way.
I doubt he cries himself to sleep the way some people here seem to think he does !
18 games so far for Racing this season, played 18 last season for Leinster and 16 the season before (http://www.itsrugby.co.uk/player-4545.html). Sexton has to leave the Irish camp to head back to play a match with Racing while Irish based players stay in Carton House for training. More games, more chance of injury.
But where’s the extra danger to his body? The IRFU player welfare system is there so top internationals aren’t being paid to be injured so they get longer periods of rest. In the same vein I can’t see Racing playing him to the point that they end up with a crocked player on their hands. And as they pay his wages they have every right to call him out of an Irish camp to play for them.
So next time you go into a review with your employer you say
“I’ll just take what ever you want to give me, I love this place and no matter what you offer I’ll accept?”
Or maybe you say ” your rival company have offered me a position it pays Much more than your offer, I’m considering both offers, is your first offer the best you can do?”
What sort of people think a person is not going to try get the best possible deal for himself in a very short career span at which maybe only two or three of those contracts you sign are of decent value? And considering your only one injury away from never working again.
Look at his performance during the Ireland v All Blacks match for your answer.
Get in!
Wish he left. Think he’s the most overrated player in Ireland.
All opinions are equal except when they are wrong.
Might be a bit harsh, but he has a tendency to switch off on occasions and the Leinster v’ Northampton game in the Aviva before Christmas was a good example of this.
First choice Irish and Leinster no for years, lions caps, grand slams, triple crowns and 3 HC winners medals, one of the richest clubs in the world have just offered him a small fortune to play for them and you think he’s overrated!
Do you know what I think the man should listen to you and retire as he’s just not up the the standards you’d expect from a rugby player.
Sorry Chris but I do think he’s overrated. You mentioned his lions caps. He was dropped for the final test as he literally did nothing in the 2nd test. I’m not the only person who thinks this in fairness.
In fairness no one cares what you think. Ireland, Leinster, Lions, IRFU, Toulon’s opinion means more, in fact means everything. i would also wager your ‘opinion’ is clouded by the colour of his club shirt…
I do actually and play, it’s an opinion and I do agree he is good and worth the effort to retain on the books but he can blow hot and cold it is a fact. You have to think of these things objectively in my opinion………but maybe you just think differently and that’s fine.
Well actually you’re wrong it’s not objective.
Zebos the most overrated, overhyped player in Ireland. By mile.
good news for Leinster and Ireland, we need all our top players playing here under the guidance of Schmidt.
Good deal for Leinster and Heaslip much like O’Brien’s… but the likes of Jordi Murphy, Dominic Ryan, Conor Gilsenan must wondering where they will fit in now…
If a player is good enough they force their way into a squad. They should not wait for a vacancy to open up
Just hope he keeps up the current form because his form was pants until approx 6 months agi.
most overrate player in Irelans
Ask mammy before you use the internet , it’s for grown- ups
Actually Sextons move to France has saved us 2 or 3 players when they actually looked at how is/ is not getting on.
delighted with this,well done jamie and well done irfu,lovely to see the small man win for a change,i hope the french dont ever get their way with irish rugby,they’ll ruin welsh rugby over the next few years !!
I wouldn’t take it so personally chris, heaslips an average player now who is still living off an excellent spell from 2008-2010. He has been mediocre since but his reputation keeps him the number 8 at Leinster nd his country. It is similar in a few positions also, cough gordon darcy cough. Pity their both not taking the horse to france, let’s bleed some young players nd oust the old, like the brits have successfully done.
Bull
Very well said, you are absolutely spot on
Great news, one of Leinster’s most influential players and never injured too.
Great. Who’s next?
Surprised Rob Kearney hasn’t been linked with anyone yet.,
Good news for the Irfu that he is staying, but he isn’t half the player he was a few years back. His form has been declining at a steady rate, especially at international level
Wouldn’t it be great if the irish clubs (especially munster!) did a job on the French in the hc after this? Injury to injury
Murray Kinsella knows what he’s talking about. I’ll take his opinion over the “Heaslip’s rubbish” brigade! http://thescore.thejournal.ie/jamie-heaslip-ireland-1193036-Nov2013/
Have to agree with Cian. He has been very good for Leinster but hasn’t produced for Ireland on a consistent level…
Heaslip is a fantastic player, but he is by no means the only key man in Ireland’s team, or Leinster for that matter. I don’t think another one of our definite starters playing in a more competitive league with more southern hemisphere players would have been a bad thing, but the question is where do you draw the line. And no one but the player decides on that line. We keep producing the best conditions for players to make the smartest choice for themselves and we will continue to make the national team stronger. People leaving is not neither a good or bad thing at the minute. Bit of hybridisation is good for everyone.
Good man Jamie
How much is he on now?
Nice to see people on here praising the IRFU. Too many of um stupidly blamed them for Johnny’s exit while they are actually doing a great job. Just have to look at Wales to see how wrong things can go.