Heaslip is forced into retirement

JAMIE HEASLIP announced his retirement from rugby union yesterday, stating he had the ‘time of his life’ during a stellar career for Leinster, Ireland and the Lions. Heaslip decided to hang up his boots on medical advice to ensure his ‘future wellbeing’ having failed to recover from a back injury which has kept him out for the best part of a year. The 34-year-old No 8 and former Ireland captain won 95 caps for his country, five caps for the Lions and won three European Cups at Leinster. He played a key role in Ireland’s 2009 Grand Slam and their Six Nations titles in 2014 and 2015.