Former Ireland and Leinster player Jamie Heaslip has detailed the three toughest games of his career.

The number eight, who represented Ireland on 95 occasions across 11 years, told Nathan on Off The Ball that his toughest game came in the Lions shirt.  

“The toughest game I have ever played in was the second Test of the Lions tour in 2009 in South Africa. That was by far the toughest game I have ever played in. It was brutal,” said Heaslip.

He was an integral part of Ireland’s Grand Slam winning side of 2009, as well as the Six Nations Championship winning sides of 2014 and 2015, but none of those wins made his top three.

Number two on the list was that famous night in Chicago when Ireland recorded their first win over New Zealand. “From the pitch, when you looked up there was a wave of green all over. Everyone was going crazy. The whole city was taken over by Irish fans that week,” he added.

The third and final game to make Heaslip’s list was Leinster’s Heineken Cup semi final win over Clermont Auvergne in 2012. Leinster would go over the beat Ulster in the final 42-14, completing the largest winning margin in a Heineken Cup final.

The 34-year-old was forced to retire from rugby earlier this year due to injury. He had been due to play for Ireland against England in the 2017 Six Nations Championship on 18 March, but pulled out during the warm-up with what seemed like an innocuous injury at the time and would never play again.

By Stephen Larkin.