But head coach Declan Kidney chose to reward the No.8 with his impressive tenure during the autumn internationals against South Africa and Argentina, when O’Driscoll was out injured.

Heaslip will be O’Driscoll’s skipper for Ireland’s RBS 6 Nations curtain-raiser in Wales on Saturday after both were named in Kidney’s starting XV.

But Heaslip is adamant there are no hard feelings between the two.

“We are lucky with the squad we have, we have such experienced players both starting and on the bench and not even in the squad,” he said.

“Not that I’m leaning on anyone but to ask for advice, yes I’ve done that. We have such good leaders anyway everyone is chatting.

“In terms of the team and playing that is just business as usual. That is like it was in November.

“I suppose he did give me a heads up regarding the launch and things like that with how mental that is, and the attention the media gives to it, but regarding training it is business as per usual.”