Jamie Heaslip takes aim at 'cowboy' rugby pundits

Ireland and Leinster rugby star Jamie Heaslip has described some rugby pundits as “cowboys”.

Heaslip, speaking to Jim Carroll of thisisbanter.com, said: “There was and is some guys that are just removed from the game for a long time.

“I’m not saying their opinions aren’t valued, I’m just saying they aren’t up to date with how the game is played and what goes into the game now.

“But the guys who have come out of the game recently, say in the last four or five years, they’ve been really, really good in educating the public, in giving them those little nuggets of insight.

“Those titbits so that when they’re in The Bridge having a pint they’ll say, ‘well, actually Shane Horgan said this because of x y or z’ rather than, ‘I felt this’. There are just some cowboys out there.”

Heaslip also spoke about younger players coming into rugby: “They come out of school at 17, 18 and into an academy, the odd one goes straight pro but that happens rarely.

“In the academy they train just as much as if they were professional. And you get worried that they can get caught up in a little bubble. Some of them don’t finish college. They miss out on college — when you go to college at 17 or 18, you’re not the same person when you come out at 21, 22.

“I know I wasn’t anyway. You grow a lot, and they miss out on all that. They think rugby is going to be the be all and end all but it’s a harsh business. If you’re not at a certain standard you’re spat out at the end.

“ That’s why I look at different avenues off the field — we call it the afterlife, post-rugby. I’m prepared for it, I have things there to keep my head above water.”

Heaslip also addressed moving abroad to play. “I think a player should always keep their options open when it comes to that contract. I think you’re very foolish in general not to see what your other options are.”

The full interview is available on www.thisisbanter.com