Gerry Thornley: Jamie Heaslip relishing Twickenham challenge

At face value, it looks like the toughest fixture this season's RBS Six Nations itinerary can throw up. England, rejuvenated under Eddie Jones, are two from two and returning to Twickenham, where Ireland have lost on their last four visits. But maybe, just maybe, England at Twickenham is the best match-up Ireland could face this coming weekend.

Ireland are in unusually choppy waters. The last time they failed to win either of their opening two games in the Championship was fully 18 seasons ago, back in the old Five Nations in 1998, when a 17-16 defeat at home to Scotland prompted Brian Ashton's resignation, after which Ireland lost 18-16 to France in Paris in Warren Gatland's first game in change.

Whereas they have been two wins from two games in each of the last two title-winning campaigns, now they have to readjust mentally to being long shots for a tilt at the title. Odds of 40/1 reflect that. An historic hat-trick looks beyond them.

But then again, as Jamie Heaslip noted on Tuesday, this is an Anglo-Irish summit with the auld enemy at their south west London citadel.

“It’s England. Twickenham,” he stated with deliberate clarity to emphasise the point. ’Nuff said. But then he expanded. “If you can’t get motivated for a game like that get out of the changing-room, to be honest. If you are an Irishman and you’re playing tiddlywinks against an Englishman, or chess or scrabble, you want to beat him, you know what I mean? It is very easy to be motivated.”

Pretty motivated

“In terms of the losses, one loss and one draw, I’ve been in that situation before. There is a core, not many, who have been in this situation before. We know which way it can go. We’ve got to be prepared. We’re pretty motivated, pretty driven for this opportunity.”

Time was when Twickenham became an unusually profitable venue for Irish sides in the 2000s, but not anymore.

Heaslip’s record against England mirrors that of Ireland’s which is not surprising really as he has played in nine of the last ten meetings. Having made his first appearance against England at Twickenham in the 33-10 defeat in 2008, Eddie O’Sullivan’s final game as head coach, Heaslip was part of the win there in 2010. This was sandwiched by home wins at Croke Park and the Aviva Stadium in ’09 and ’11.

However, since then Heaslip has been part of five successive defeats, as he missed out through a rare injury in the 19-9 win at the Aviva last season. Hence, in six visits to Twickenham, Heaslip has been on one winning side, whereas he has lost there five times, including his last four visits.

Of all the grounds liable to strike a degree of fear in Heaslip Twickenham ought to be uppermost amongst them.

“I don’t know if we’re ever fearful of an opposition or particular grounds, but we do have to have the mindset that if we don’t take the opportunities that we’re creating we’ll be putting ourselves under pressure.

“They are a very good side; good ball players, good athletes, really good guys who control their game and direct them around the field, a good defensive system, so we’re going to have our work cut out for us.”

In response to Eddie Jones’ jibes about Ireland being a kicking team, Heaslip maintained Ireland would bring a rounded game to Twickenham, “to play what’s in front of you” and “take the space wherever it is”, be it “in the wide channels or if they’re playing with 14 up in the line and only one in the back then you’ve got to kick to where the space is; kick to the grass.”

Criticism of Ireland's attacking game after scoring one try and making three offloads in their opening two matches has increased, with Brian O'Driscoll intimating that Irish players are fearful of offloading, citing Simon Zebo's attempted offload against Australia in November 2014 which led to a try by Nick Phipps.

“It didn’t go to hand but it was definitely the right option and they scored up the other end. Now I don’t know, I wasn’t part of that conversation, but Joe’s philosophy is that it’s the right offload if it goes to hand.

A pundit

“Sometimes, that can’t be the way, you’re going to lose a few offloads here and there but high risk, high reward and even risk, even reward. I feel as though there is definitely scope to throw a few more.”

When it was put to Heaslip that O'Driscoll had been remotely negative of Ireland for the first time, he initially responded: "Well, it depends. For Ireland, yes. For Leinster, he's criticised us quite a bit."

But when told O’Driscoll had suggested that Irish players were afraid to offload, the Irish number eight smiled and said:

“I wouldn’t agree completely with Brian’s comment. But, he’s obviously entitled to his opinion. And as a pundit, he has to offer up an opinion and that was his.”