Heaslip: World Cup unfinished business
Ireland’s tournament begins a day later when they face Canada in Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium, and there will likely be a solid number of men in green eager to atone for an exit of crushing proportions last time out.
Jamie Heaslip among them. The Leinster captain spoke yesterday of his three-year old World Cup ‘hangover’ and about the Ireland team’s intention to right the wrongs of 2011 when the latest edition swings around next September.
He had been part of a devastating back row that also included Sean O’Brien and Stephen Ferris at the last global gathering and one that did particular damage in an historic victory against Australia in the pool stages.
That 15-6 defeat of the Wallabies steered Declan Kidney’s side on a favourable route towards what could have been a first appearance at the semi-final stage, but defeat to Wales in the last eight brought all that momentum and expectation to an abrupt halt.
“It’s the only thing I haven’t won,” he said yesterday at the Irish launch of MaxiNutrition’s online Max Shop when asked if the lack of a standout World Cup was the one last itch to scratch in an otherwise stellar career.
“Yeah, I play to win. I don’t play to take part. Someone asked me are we thinking about that down the line but, to be honest, it is quite hard for a player to be thinking about that because I am thinking about (Leinster) playing Connacht (tomorrow).
“That is kind of where my head is at, but people like Joe (Schmidt) and the management team and coaching staff, I can guarantee you they have probably thought past the World Cup. He’s probably 15 months down the line and that’s what we need.”
A second probe yielded more.
“I know last time there was a good bit of frustration in terms of the fact we could have and should have beaten Wales on the day. Two or three silly, basic errors that cost us tries.
“Even with that, we still could have won the game, in a weird sort of way, because we were in it. We were either just ahead or behind at half-time, I can’t remember, but we came out and scored a try just after half-time.”
Four years is a long time to harbour regrets but next year’s tournament offers a golden chance of recompense for the No.8 and those others who will span the two events.
Ireland have avoided the three southern hemisphere heavyweights in Pool D with France and Italy providing the sternest opposition and then there is the sense that, like the Olympics in London two years ago, Ireland will be as good as playing matches on home ground.
“There was a lot of frustration among guys who knew that (2011) was their last World Cup, and I know a lot of guys would have high hopes of pushing on and getting further in the competition.
“I just think back to what it was like and the fact that we could have got to a World Cup semi-final and we probably have a bit more practice in that tournament format than some other teams from the European Cup.
“There is the fact as well that it is at home. Well, it might as well be at home. We all know people in London and Cardiff and it will be more or less like playing in Dublin so there are a lot of things going for us there.”
Ireland’s hopes are all the greater given the schedule of fixtures which will allow Schmidt’s side ease gently into the tournament, with that first-up meeting with Canada followed by a date with Romania, before Italy and then France hove into view.
Schmidt has been open in admitting his determination to foster greater strength in depth in the Ireland squad, which bodes well for the future, and that was apparent to Heaslip at the national side’s most recent one-day get-together.
“He showed the (Six Nations) Italy game, for example, and the tries scored in the last 10 minutes of the Italy game were all scored by substitutions. No one knew (then) the effect that had at the end of the competition, in terms of points.”
Let the countdown begin.
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