Heaslip green with envy of Wales

Ireland star Jamie Heaslip has admitted he is jealous of Welsh success but will not let that impact on his performance against the reigning RBS 6 Nations champions at the Aviva Stadium today.

The Welsh, led by Heaslip’s & Lions head coach Warren Gatland, have arrived in Dublin having not lost an away game in the Six Nations since 2011 and looking for an historic third straight championship. Wales have won three Grand Slams since 2005 and four championships, with Gatland presiding over two and three respectively, while Ireland have just one Slam in the Six Nations era, coming at Wales’s expense, in 2009.

Heaslip, a try-scoring man of the match as stand-in Irish captain last week as Joe Schmidt’s side beat Scotland 28-6 at the Aviva, was a part of that successful 2009 side and has also won three Heineken Cup winners’ medals with Leinster but continued Welsh success in the Test arena has got a little under the No.8’s skin.