In the same year that Ireland proudly won the Six Nations Grand Slam, talk of rugby has nevertheless been dominated by the Belfast rape trial.
Former Irish players Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding were found not guilty of rape and other charges at the conclusion of the high-profile case.
"I saw that it was a possibility"@jamieheaslip tells Ryan how he got started in rugby. pic.twitter.com/xC3cDHOEu8
— The Late Late Show (@RTELateLateShow) May 11, 2018
And on Friday evening’s Late Late Show, Jamie Heaslip appeared in front of host Ryan Tubridy to talk of his career in the sport, including his retirement from rugby back in February.
Over the course of the interview, Tubridy didn’t shy away from the trial – directly asking Heaslip for his opinion on the legal proceedings.
Ryan probed matters including “respect for women,” and a “locker-room mentality and that culture,” that exists in rugby. The RTÉ star added: “What did you make of that conversation and those events that arose from that trial?”
“A lot of really good questions for society have been raised from it,” Jamie began.
“And education is one of them,” he continued. “You’ve seen our IRFU really go forward on that and I think it’s really important that those questions have been raised and things are going to be better for it.”
“Do you think that if you wear the Irish rugby jersey that you have something of a position of leadership and responsibility for a generation of kids watching you?” Tubs next asked.
We’re chatting to @jamieheaslip right now on #latelate talking rugby & retirement 🏉 pic.twitter.com/Je3uNM5K6f
— The Late Late Show (@RTELateLateShow) May 11, 2018
“For me playing,” Heaslip said in response, “the jersey represents a whole lot – no one owns the jersey, the jersey is not yours; it’s the nation’s. I used to always say ‘ leave the jersey in a better place’.
“And the way I alway tried to do that was by playing; how I represented it when I took it off the peg, I wore it, and tried do it right when I left it back on the peg… and that’s how I tried to do right by the jersey.”
We reckon fair play, Jamie – it’s good to see an international rugby name address the Belfast trial and try to see some good from it.
