Former Ireland captain claims 'Paddy Jackson is getting too much punishment'
Former Ireland and Lions player Fergus Slattery believes Paddy Jackson has suffered far too much in the fall-out from last year’s rape trial in Beflast.
Jackson and former Ulster and Ireland team-mate Stuart Olding were acquitted in a Belfast court in March 2018. However, a month later, their rugby contracts were torn up by the IRFU forcing both of them to go to France to continue their playing careers.
Now Jackson is back in the headlines this week after the decision of brewing giant Diageo to end the near 30-year sponsorship that Guinness have had with London Irish, the club that signed Jackson in May as it prepares for its return next season to the English Premiership.
Diageo took exception to Irish’s Jackson signing, claiming it was “not consistent with our values”. However, ex-Ireland skipper Slattery believes the saga surrounding Jackson has continued for far too long.
“If London Irish did make the decision to hold onto Paddy Jackson on the basis they were going to lose Diageo I would be surprised,” he told the Today With Sean O’Rourke programme on RTE Radio in Ireland. “I don’t know the full detail of that. But I still do think that Paddy Jackson is getting too much punishment and as a consequence, London Irish have lost their sponsorship.
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“Because the guys were deemed to be innocent I was very, very disappointed to hear that Diageo were pulling out from London Irish. I just don’t understand it… I have to throw the IRFU into the pot along with Diageo. I just don’t understand why that was done by anybody. Whether it was Diageo or IRFU, I just don’t understand it.”
Former Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan admitted he understood the reasons why the positions of Jackson and Olding had become untenable in Ulster due to the publication of negative WhatsApp messages. However, he believes Jackson’s career could now be in tatters as the controversy has refused to die despite more than a year passing since the termination of his contract by the IRFU.
“I would reiterate that they weren’t found guilty of any crime but what was found was those text messages were reprehensible and I think their positions were untenable in Irish rugby and Ulster,” he said. “They have paid a big price for it and you just wonder now is the price bigger than they thought.
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“London Irish felt they could take him on board but I think there is still a visceral reaction to what has gone on. It is just a year, but I suppose he would ask himself this morning at what point does he get away from this stigma around him and if he leaves London Irish will any other club touch him? His career could be in tatters here.
“There is a balancing act here. There is an argument that it is too soon after the event, but again you have to accept at what stage what is the proportionality around his dreadful error and nobody seems to know the answer to that.”
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Beautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to comments