Jamie Heaslip commits to Ireland until after 2019 World Cup

Jamie Heaslip looks set to finish his career in Ireland after agreeing a new contract which ties him down until the end of the World Cup in Japan.

The new deal, apparently agreed some weeks ago but only announced yesterday, pointedly concludes at the end of the next World Cup, rather than continuing for the full season to the summer of 2020.

Tying down Heaslip is another box ticked, as Joe Schmidt and the IRFU plan for the World Cup, with close on a dozen-and-a-half players now on central contracts and the services of Jonathan Sexton, Conor Murray, Robbie Henshaw, Keith Earls, Cian Healy, and Sean O’Brien secured until after the tournament.