Heaslip Retiring / Appreciation Thread [MOD WARNING: POST 1]

Sangre · 26-02-2018 05:44PM

Yeah_Right wrote: »

Always a shame when an injury ends a player's career. Over the past 10 plus years living in Ireland I came to appreciate Heaslip more and more. Loved how his game evolved. I'd rate him as one of the top ten number 8s I've ever seen.

I've even forgiven him for kneeing McCaw in the head &#55357;&#56838;

One of my favourite memories of Heaslip was a random league match against Ulster (I think) at the RDS sometime around 2009-11. My flatmate and I were watching game, having a few beers and maybe a little bit of whacky-backy. Heaslip took off on a storming run down the sideline, a young Ulster (?) back charged across to make the covering tackle and received a big "don't argue" to the face. One of the best fends we'd ever seen. We spent about 10 minutes rewinding it and laughing. Ok, yes there was definitely some Maryjane involved.

The comment about him not watching rugby. I've heard that from a few of my mates who played at pro level. They just didn't enjoy watching games in their down time apart from big test matches. After they retired, they have started to enjoy watching it as a fan again.

Can someone please remember this match? It has just now come back to me. I vaguely remember it was against a new exciting player who suddenly got a very abrupt welcome to the interpros.

prawnsambo · 26-02-2018 06:21PM

Sangre wrote: »

Can someone please remember this match? It has just now come back to me. I vaguely remember it was against a new exciting player who suddenly got a very abrupt welcome to the interpros.

This looks like the one. The recipient I think was Jamie Smith:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdM-IWNQ1k4

If it was Jamie Smith, he really didn't have a career at all. Went to Dragons where he got a handful of caps in two seasons and retired due to injury. Apparently he's now the national coach for Barbados, so there's always that.

ScrubsfanChris · 26-02-2018 06:25PM

His try saving tackle against Hogg in 2015 is the moment I'll always remember, especially as we won the six nations with a +6 points difference.
Probably already posted today but whatever

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHdXgb0dKL4

lalababa · 26-02-2018 06:28PM

To be honest I never rated him as world class. Like he never won a world cup but I'm sorry he's dead. RIP you will be sadly missed.

P_1 · 26-02-2018 06:29PM

Sad news but alas probably to be expected given the time between the initial injury before the England match and now.

People often give a lot of the plaudits to the likes of BOD, POC and ROG (the Acronyms if you will) but in my eyes he was the standout player in green and certainly in blue over the years.

While we have a great conveyor belt of backrow talent coming through, today a large set of Beats headphones have been left to fill.

Burkie1203 · 26-02-2018 06:42PM

Never stop trying

https://twitter.com/RugbyLAD7/status/968082867019493376

irishbucsfan · 26-02-2018 06:48PM

5 quid to the person who predicts the next post

sydthebeat · 26-02-2018 06:50PM

It will be me, saying this. How do I collect the funds!??

ScrubsfanChris · 26-02-2018 06:54PM

sydthebeat wrote: »

It will be me, saying this. How do I collect the funds!??

This......

Ah $h!t too late

thomond2006 · 26-02-2018 07:06PM

Burkie1203 wrote: »

Never stop trying

Never post links from there. Stop. Please.

If you want to know why, I can PM.

prawnsambo · 26-02-2018 07:14PM

thomond2006 wrote: »

Never post links from there. Stop. Please.

If you want to know why, I can PM.

Can I go on that PM list? Please?

thomond2006 · 26-02-2018 07:18PM

prawnsambo wrote: »

Can I go on that PM list? Please?

Sure. I will need to disable PMs temporarily. Will get back to ye.

irishbucsfan · 26-02-2018 07:40PM

He is a wanted man

Yeah_Right · 26-02-2018 07:45PM

prawnsambo wrote: »

This looks like the one. The recipient I think was Jamie Smith:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdM-IWNQ1k4

If it was Jamie Smith, he really didn't have a career at all. Went to Dragons where he got a handful of caps in two seasons and retired due to injury. Apparently he's now the national coach for Barbados, so there's always that.

That's the one. Thanks. Welcome to first grade little man!! We found it hilarious. We were wasted

Guy:Incognito · 26-02-2018 07:49PM

prawnsambo wrote: »

Can I go on that PM list? Please?

And me. Pm please

irishbucsfan · 26-02-2018 07:50PM

He was like the mean uncle at a family get together, skipping away from the youngest child

Neil3030 · 26-02-2018 07:56PM

I too would like to subscribe to Thomand's newsletter!

CatFromHue · 26-02-2018 07:59PM

The last, and only, time Thomond Pm me he thought I was a Munster fan :mad:

Time to redeem yourself my old friend :pac:

26-02-2018 08:02PM

may i also subscribe to said newsletter

its_phil · 26-02-2018 09:41PM

Best of luck to Heaslip in retirement, cruel irony that a man who seemed to have tiger blood would be forced to retire through injury.

09 in Croker was great, but that Hogg tackle in Murrayfield will be my go to memory. What a player and a leader.

Teferi · 26-02-2018 09:51PM

My favourite player. Devastated to see him go, would have loved to see him retire with a World Cup medal in his back pocket. Was the perfect team player, adjusting his game to suit the needs of the team. A competitor and a fantastic athlete, no doubt he'll be successful in the afterlife.

leakyboots · 26-02-2018 10:26PM

Sad way to end but he had a great career, we can't all get giant posters of ourselves floating around Landsdowne. Seems to be setting himself up well for post-retirement, best of luck to him

26-02-2018 10:38PM

leakyboots wrote: »

Sad way to end but he had a great career, we can't all get giant posters of ourselves floating around Landsdowne. Seems to be setting himself up well for post-retirement, best of luck to him

Actually that might hint at the timing of the announcement. Monday is a good distance from the game this weekend and it's the last home game for a while. I wouldn't be surprised if Heaslip is walked out at the start or the end of the game.

prawnsambo · 26-02-2018 10:41PM

Deleted User wrote: »

Actually that might hint at the timing of the announcement. Monday is a good distance from the game this weekend and it's the last home game for a while. I wouldn't be surprised if Heaslip is walked out at the start or the end of the game.

I thought you were going to pull him up for his spelling of Lansdowne. But that's a good point too.

Stheno · 26-02-2018 11:04PM

Deleted User wrote: »

Actually that might hint at the timing of the announcement. Monday is a good distance from the game this weekend and it's the last home game for a while. I wouldn't be surprised if Heaslip is walked out at the start or the end of the game.

Are we not away to Scarlets this weekend?

Would love to see him walk out before Saracens, now that's motivation for the team

.ak · 26-02-2018 11:08PM

lalababa wrote: »

To be honest I never rated him as world class. Like he never won a world cup but I'm sorry he's dead. RIP you will be sadly missed.

You won't be sadly missed if you keep ignoring mod warnings.

26-02-2018 11:10PM

Stheno wrote: »

Are we not away to Scarlets this weekend?

Would love to see him walk out before Saracens, now that's motivation for the team

Sorry meant next weeks weekend! It's the point in time that's far enough away not to disrupt the build up but be timely enough for him to get a send off.

Stheno · 26-02-2018 11:13PM

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Sorry meant next weeks weekend! It's the point in time that's far enough away not to disrupt the build up but be timely enough for him to get a send off.

The Scotland game?

26-02-2018 11:21PM

Stheno wrote: »

The Scotland game?

Do you run the Ulster rugby twitter account ?

Stheno · 26-02-2018 11:40PM

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Do you run the Ulster rugby twitter account ?

No but i am a bit slow tonight after starting a new job today

I'd like to see home get a sendiff from both Leinster and Ireland fans lots of ordinary fans wont be at the Scotland game

Its a pity we don't have testimonials

Heaslip Retiring / Appreciation Thread [MOD WARNING: POST 1]

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