Jamie Heaslip with Matt Cooper, All In, paperback edition, reviewed

By Simon Cocking, review of All In, by Jamie Heaslip with Matt Cooper. Available from Gill Books here.

Jamie Heaslip is one of the most decorated players in the history of Irish rugby. Over the course of a thirteen-year career, during which he amassed 229 appearances for Leinster and 100 international caps, his name became synonymous with both the Irish No 8 jersey and the values that have propelled the growth of professional rugby in Ireland: diligence, professionalism and an unwavering commitment to self-improvement.

Here, in a frank and stirring account of his years on rugby’s front line, Heaslip recalls the events, wisdom and personalities that helped craft his winning mindset and vault Ireland to the summit of world rugby. An inspiring personal memoir and insider account of Ireland’s transformation from amateur backwater to professional powerhouse, All In is also a profound meditation on sport, leadership and what it takes to succeed in the harshest of environments.

Jamie Heaslip with Matt Cooper, All In, paperback edition, reviewed

This is a curate’s egg of a book. Heaslip had a truly positive impact on Irish rugby during his successful 14 years at the top. We remember when he pulled out of the warmup before what would have been another 6 Nations match for Ireland. Suddenly, like that, his career was over. A truly harsh sudden ending point, no long farewell like Brian O’Driscoll, instead more like another legend and contemporary of his, Paul O’Connell, having his career come to an abrupt injury inflicted ending. Prior to that unfortunate end for Heaslip he delivered a consistently high level of performances for Ireland and Leinster.

Heaslip did a lot to help shift the ‘close but no cigar’ mentality that Irish rugby had had, particularly in regard to when they played the All Blacks. Too many times Ireland had played well previously for portions of games, pushing the Kiwis close before then seeing the All Blacks go up another gear and leave Ireland reminiscing about what might have been. Heaslip embraced the mentality of feeling that this was not good enough, and that it was possible to go one step better. This is a consistent theme across the whole book that he was keen to embrace everything and anything that could help to raise both his game and the overall performance of the team.

This attitude resulted in Heaslip and the teams he played for and inspired to achieve levels of success arguably unmatched in Irish rugby history. All of this makes this a good read and an enjoyable book. Why then is this a curate’s egg of a book? Well there are elements which just ring a little too guarded, with a voiced dislike of some elements of the media.

Naturally there are often good reasons for this, and he does describe some episodes where he was treated less than fairly. This is fine as far as it goes but when he mentions a dinner with the then ex-coach of Leinster, he then comments that the conversation was confidential and not something he will disclose – which then makes you wonder why it was even mentioned at all?

There is also one surely unintentionally funny or perhaps surreal episode which you would have expected to have been caught by the editors by the time of the paperback edition. It comes within a deeply unfortunate episode where his watches were removed, never to be seen again, from the Shelbourne Hotel. Heaslip’s grievances are legitimate and well explained, but the ‘Special Bolt Squad’ is surely a typo unless these are the people you go to for special nuts, bolts and spanners?

Heaslip is clearly a well intentioned and ethically positive person, who did a lot to help create some of the most memorable Irish rugby memories of the last decade and a half. For this we have a lot to be thankful, and the book aims to capture his story as honestly and openly as possible, it just seems like in some cases, with some of the anecdotes the punches have been pulled slightly, to spare those involved? With a book written at the age of 36 or so, it will be interesting to see what he does next and we look forward to seeing what happens next.

Excited for the 4th episode of the SME sessions with @askpaulnow. Joining us is Joanne O'Grady – Founder & Director of @cleverclogsinc& #gaiababynursery, premium nursery goods brands.??https://t.co/qudhjDx9zr

— jamie heaslip (@jamieheaslip) June 25, 2020

Jamie Heaslip is a former Leinster and Ireland captain and one of the most decorated rugby players in Irish history. He is an entrepreneur and consultant with varied business interests.

Matt Cooper is the presenter of The Last Word on TodayFM, The Tonight Show on Virgin Media One, and a frequent host of rugby coverage for the same channel. He is also the author of numerous bestselling books, including The Maximalist, a biography of Tony O’Reilly.

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