IT BOASTS the plotline of a cheesy movie but there is an unmistakable symmetry to the news that Jamie Heaslip and several of his Lions’ team-mates went swimming with sharks ahead of a clash with their human incarnation at the ABSA Stadium here tomorrow night.
The Ireland and Lions number eight enjoyed his dip in a controlled environment, something that can’t be guaranteed against the Super 14 franchise. It was the first time the tourists had escaped the rigidity of their schedule, a treat embraced with gusto.
Heaslip explained: “It was brilliant. We were in the shark tank snorkelling with them. You don’t get that in Ireland; seals, maybe, at the Forty Foot. We did the cage thing but in another part of the place you can actually swim with sharks. I have no idea what variety they were but in length terms, about a metre and a half. Yer man said it was grand so we just hopped in. We just weren’t allowed pet them. Hopefully when we get down to Cape Town we’ll be able to hop into the cage with the Great Whites; that would be pretty cool.”
He is determined to enjoy the experience of touring with the Lions on and off the pitch, advice proffered by his Leinster and Ireland team-mate Shane Horgan, prior to heading for South Africa. In Bloemfontein he took up an invitation from Ollie le Roux to see his chicken ranch and then, in the company of those not playing last weekend, a night out in a restaurant with le Roux and CJ van der Linde as hosts.
On the pitch the Ireland number eight has flourished, producing a brilliant display in the Lions’ evisceration of their Golden cousins at Ellis Park. The backrow from that night has been retained for the game against the Sharks to try to repeat what they managed but has proved troublesome in other matches: to dominate at the breakdown.
The new law with regard to this facet of the game has been in operation since the start of the tour and, on the evidence of the matches so far, seems to favour the tackler. Heaslip explained: “The tackler has a lot more leeway in terms of what he can get up to: he can contest at the ruck a little bit more and has a bit longer to get up on his feet.
“We have to try and test those boundaries a little bit more. It’s still, though, pretty competitive in terms of what both guys beside the ball can do. We’ve looked at it (the breakdown) because we kind of let ourselves down a bit. That’s what the guys were saying from the weekend.
“I think they (the Cheetahs, on Saturday) were pretty effective at slowing it down. It’s something we are going to have to look at because slow ball is very easy to defend against. We are looking to get a bit more quick ball, especially with the backs we have got. The breakdown is always key and quick ball is the name of the game.”
Lions coach Ian McGeechan has given every player an opportunity to prove his mettle over the course of the first three matches, a state of affairs destined to continue through the next two matches. It is a philosophy which Heaslip thinks has had a positive effect on squad morale.
“I think he has been very fair. It’s good for team bonding that there are no untouchables. There’s nobody that has their spot guaranteed. I think you can say that for everyone, even Paulie (Paul O’Connell): no one is guaranteed their spot. Everyone is playing really well, pushing each other. It’s that competition that he wants to create on the pitch and that camaraderie he’s looking for off the pitch; he’s got a good mix. You can see we are getting that little bit better every game, every training session.
“I think it is bringing the best out of everyone. There are so many options in the backrow. You have to give your best at every training session, every time you go on the pitch. It is competitive but when you’re off the pitch everyone shares information for the good of the squad.”
He refuses to be drawn on the likelihood of facing the Springboks, observing: “I have not thought about it at all. All I’m worried about is tomorrow and doing a job. Everyone knows the biggest game is your next.”
