Jamie Heaslip fit for vital visit of Castres Olympique

Jamie Heaslip is available for Leinster in their pivotal match against Castres on Saturday in the RDS. Heaslip has struggled with an AC (shoulder) injury but has said he is fit and will play in the round five European Champions Cup match.

“Yeah, good to go,” said the Leinster captain. “The Wolverine blood kicked in and I was grand. Matt just thought I needed a week off because I’m getting old.

"But I say I'm like Benjamin Button and I'm only getting younger. But, yeah, I'm fine."

Heaslip trained all week with the squad and said that he feels fit enough to play

“Yeah, Monday, Tuesday and today, I’ve been out in all the pitch sessions, throwing myself about. Yeah, I’m good to go,” he said.

Heaslip who rarely gets injured said that it was a a different experience being on the sideline and hanging around sick bay rather than doing drills and training on the pitches. He was one of only three Irish players along with the Kearney brothers Dave and Rob who played for all 80 minutes in each of Ireland’s Six Nations matches last year.

“It’s probably embarrassing more than strange to be honest. I didn’t know my way around the physio room or these things called medicals that happen after games as well, that was a bit strange,” said Heaslip.

Coach Matt O'Connor said they looked at challenging the three match ban handed down to loosehead prop Jack McGrath but decided against it on legal grounds. It leaves Leinster short on that side of the scrum with Cian Healy also injured.

“The timing of it is unfortunate. Jack made a mistake and got banned for it and he’s learned the lesson from it,” said O’Connor. “We sought the necessary opinions and it was that we were unlikely to change it so you’ve got to move on.

O'Connor was asked if Irish coach Joe Schmidt had any influence on the decision as an appeal could have technically resulted in a longer ban, which would have affected McGrath's involvement in the beginning of the Six Nations Championship.

“None whatsoever,” said O’Connor. “It was about making sure that we ticked all the boxes in looking at it and if there was an in for us legally to change that ruling then we would have. He’ll cop it on the chin and be better for it.