SIX NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP NEWS:IRELAND'S NUMBER eight Jamie Heaslip (24) wins his seventh cap at Croke Park tomorrow but exudes the quiet assurance of a Test player with four times that number. After beginning this season's Six Nations Championship on the bench against Italy, he started against France and Scotland, grasping the opportunity to celebrated effect.

His performances have attracted praise from media and team-mates but he does not subscribe to the easy notion that he plays without inhibition because he is a novice in the international arena.

Heaslip explained: "I suppose if you look strictly at the number of caps you might think I am still finding my feet but this is my second Six Nations championship in terms of being around the extended squad and I have also been in various camps.

"I am comfortable in this environment and enjoy the company on and off the pitch.

"It hasn't been a huge jump (in terms of starting). In settling into a team especially at number eight, once you do a couple of team runs you get a feel of how your halfbacks want to play. They control how you are going to play. It's not really a big deal."

On making the national side, he sought to justify his selection on the only proving ground that matters: the pitch. Heaslip smiled: "It is a case of earning your stripes, earning that respect. There is nothing worse than a guy who does not have the respect of other players.

"You have to go out there and either put up or shut up. You certainly can't start giving out to other people if you're not doing your job. That's what you worry about first and foremost. It doesn't really faze me that I don't have as many caps as the rest of the pack. All I know is I have two more than Robert Kearney," he laughed.

"You are trying to get the respect of those guys who have the experience and once they respect you, they'll play for you. I have no problem saying if someone is in the wrong and am just as quick accepting when I am in the wrong. It's the only way that you can get better as a player.

"Everyone takes it on the chin and what goes on on the field stays on the field. I have no problem voicing my opinion."

Every player boasts a wish list for a game and while Heaslip has previously articulated an appetite for the bone-on-bone collisions, he appreciates opportunities to showcase his athleticism.

"I'd like to see a lot more of the ball than we got against Scotland. I'd like to get looser ball.

"You can't push it because then you compromise yourself in other duties like being at the right ruck, especially against a high-quality Welsh one. You can't force the game. Mike Brewer and Michael Cheika have been teaching me over the last few years about the importance of getting a feel for the game and knowing when you can play a little looser.

"That comes with how the game unfolds. You don't know how that is going to happen until you start playing. It could be tight for 60 minutes and then loosens up or for 20 (minutes) and then it breaks a little. I do like an open game but I am not going to shy away from the nitty-gritty stuff."

Quite apart from the manner in which he has settled to the rhythm of Test rugby, on a personal level he has relished playing alongside Denis Leamy and David Wallace in the Irish back row.

A classic example of a burgeoning breakaway unit was Wallace's try against Scotland.

Its genesis came from video analysis carried out by Mervyn Murphy and the coaches.

Heaslip explained: "They spotted that they (Scotland) wedged a little bit too hard at times, especially with Redser (Eoin Reddan) posing a threat; it worked for us.

"It was just a communication call from that scrum when we decided to have a go at the move. It was on (so we tried it). I love playing with the two boys. They are very good ball carriers, have a very good work-rate and we seem to divide up the workload pretty well and get on fine. We have been doing all right so far."

He knows that tomorrow will represent another tough assignment, is aware that he must continue to improve especially when measured against Welsh captain Ryan Jones. The two might have only opposed each other for 20 minutes at Magners League level but Heaslip has seen plenty of footage.

"I'm definitely going to do my work on him because he is a handful. I have looked at the games he has played so far and he is going to cause a bit of trouble for us. I have to get on top of my game and see if I can keep him somewhat quiet."

Jones might be undertaking a similar quest in Croke Park at lunchtime tomorrow.