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07th Nov 2013

Heaslip set to retain the Ireland captaincy as Schmidt keeps the faith (Report)

Jamie Heaslip will hold onto his position as Ireland captain when Joe Schmidt names the side that will face Samoa this weekend, according to a report in the Irish Independent.

Conor Heneghan

Jamie Heaslip will hold onto his position as Ireland captain when Joe Schmidt names the side that will face Samoa this weekend, according to a report in the Irish Independent.

Although Heaslip was first appointed captain for the November Internationals last year, it had been speculated that veterans Brian O’Driscoll and Paul O’Connell were in line to resume a role both had filled in the past following Schmidt’s ascension to Irish coach in place of Declan Kidney.

The Leinster number eight didn’t get off to the best start as Irish captain and was on the winning side in only two of the seven matches in which he wore the armband, although he wasn’t helped, for example, by the ridiculous run of bad luck with injuries that Ireland endured during the Six Nations.

According to this morning’s Irish Independent, Schmidt will retain Heaslip – who he knows well from his Leinster days – as captain when naming his starting XV to face Samoa at lunchtime today and barring any major setbacks, Heaslip is likely to hold onto the role for the Six Nations and right through until the World Cup in 2015.

Considering that O’Driscoll played for Ireland while Heaslip was captain earlier this year, it always seemed unlikely that he would reprise the role, but O’Connell, who hasn’t played for Ireland in over a year and a half, was thought to be in with a strong shout.

Despite recent injuries to O’Driscoll and O’Connell, all three could be named in the side to face Samoa later on today, with Paddy Jackson expected to be named in place of Jonathan Sexton at out-half, with the Racing Metro out-half still feeling the effects of a hip injury and probably in need of a breather after a relentless start to the season with his new side.