Heaslip: Win first, 'fairytale' later

Ireland must delay the "fairytale" ending to Brian O'Driscoll's iconic international career by one more week, according to Jamie Heaslip.

Talismanic centre O'Driscoll will set a new all-time international appearances record with his 140th Test cap on his final Dublin bow in Ireland colours against Italy on Saturday.

The 35-year-old will then bring down the curtain on 15 glittering international years in Ireland's final RBS 6 Nations clash against France in Paris on Saturday, March 15.

Heaslip believes the only way to do justice to O'Driscoll's career now is to send him into retirement clutching the Six Nations trophy.

The Leinster loose forward branded Saturday's Italy clash a "semi-final", urging his team-mates to suppress their romantic sentiment, dispatch the Azzurri and set up a title decider against France.

"The fairytale on Saturday would be nice; you're probably not human if you can't relate to that, it would be a nice story," said Heaslip.

"But I think it would be an even nicer story if we were going over to France and winning the Six Nations where I suppose it all really landed for him.

"I think that's a nice story, but to get there we've got to win on Saturday.

"Mick (team manager Michael Kearney) addressed it really nicely, saying it was like a semi-final for us.

"There's nothing after this game, that's why there's no point thinking about points difference to be honest.

"In fairness we were in a similar situation with Leinster last year, with people talking about points and points and points but our whole drive wasn't to get points - because there's nothing if you don't win.

"So let's just worry about winning and playing to our gameplan; if we get opportunities we take them, otherwise we play to win.

"But the romantic in me thinks it would be a nice story to send him off."

Branding O'Driscoll the Jonah Lomu of his generation, Heaslip said the veteran outside centre will forever be synonymous with Ireland's number 13 shirt.

Joking O'Driscoll has probably tried to trademark the number, Heaslip admitted he never envisaged sharing rugby fields with world icons as a youngster.

"I was asked to sum Brian up in one word this week, and all I said was "13": you think Brian O'Driscoll, you think 13," said the 30-year-old.

"You think of an icon in the sport, there's no other way to explain it.

"These kinds of characters only come around every so often.

"When I watched, my generation growing up, it was Jonah Lomu.

"And for an entire generation Brian is Jonah Lomu, and that's how I look at it.

"I'm just lucky that I've been able to play with him for eight years.

"I've won amazing things with Brian, played at the top level we could have played at, a Lions tour, Test matches.

"If you'd asked me when I started playing would I get to do that with Brian O'Driscoll, I would have said no.

"And to be a part of something, to play with someone as iconic as him, through the years when he's been playing amazing football, it makes you pinch yourself when you sit down and think about it."

Heaslip believes O'Driscoll could still produce the goods if he extended his career beyond this summer, but admitted he has been told to stop making such bold pronouncements.

"I got in trouble from him and his wife, for saying a couple of weeks ago that this was only "potentially" his last year," said the Leinster back-rower.

"I said 'you never know' or something like that, alluding to another potential year.

"And I quickly got a text message off him that evening, and then he copied in what his wife had said to him as well, so I don't think there will be another year!

"I think he could keep going, but he's decided this is it and I'm not going to argue with the guy."