Professional Career
Heaslip made his Leinster senior debut in the Celtic League in March 2005 where he has since gained 70 official senior games, scoring over 90 points, including 2 tries in the Heineken Cup. The first Irish cap he received was in an autumn series test of 2006 against the Pacific Islands. He had the honour of being the 1000th player to wear the green of Ireland. He was a member of the victorious Ireland team that won the 2009 Six Nations Championship and Grand Slam Heaslip was a member of the British and Irish Lions squad for the 2009 tour to South Africa. He Started all three tests on the Tour. He also was nominated for the IRB International Player of the Year for 2009. Heaslip was named in the first Celtic League Dream Team in 2007 and along with Ben Blair and Felipe Contepomi retained his place in 2008, in 2009 he became the only player to have been named in all three sides and retained his unique record in 2010. Heaslip was the only try scorer in the Heineken Cup semi final in which Leinster were defeated 26–16 by the eventual champions Toulouse. Heaslip has recently signed a new 3-year contract with Leinster Rugby which will see him stay at the club until 2014.
He was sent off for Ireland against New Zealand on 12 June 2010, the first Irish player to be sent off in the professional era, for striking an opposition player (Richie McCaw) with his knee in frustration. He subsequently received a five week suspension from the International Rugby Board.
Heaslip was selected to captain Ireland against South Africa in the 2012 Autumn Tests, after Brian O'Driscoll, Paul O'Connell and Rory Best were all ruled out through injury.
In January 2013, Heaslip was named by Declan Kidney as the new Ireland captain for the 2013 Six Nations Championship, replacing Brian O'Driscoll who had held the role since 2003.
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