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London Irish opt not to stoke controversy in Ireland with Paddy Jackson
London Irish have steered clear of the potential for controversy by opting not to bring Paddy Jackson with them to Ireland when they open their new season away to Munster next Friday.
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The out-half – sacked by the IRFU in April 2018 despite being found not guilty at a high profile court case in Belfast – hasn’t played a single match in his home country since he was forced to earn his living outside Ireland.
Perpignan, the French club Jackson joined last season, excluded him from their squad last December when they travelled to Galway to take on Connacht in a Challenge Cup pool fixture.
Now his latest employer, London Irish, has decided not to bring the opinion-dividing half-back to Cork for their annual Jack Wakefield Memorial Trophy fixture with Munster.
Jackson’s signing by the newly promoted Gallagher Premiership club has already stoked controversy as long-time club sponsor Guinness pulled their sponsorship last June and it remains to be seen how the player’s presence will be received on the English league circuit once that tournament gets going in mid-October.
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It was alleged that an appearance by Jackson in Cork could have been problematic as more than 100 people had already indicated their intention to protest.
Jackson, who was publicly backed by his coach Declan Kidney last week, has not played a match in Ireland since the curtain came down on his Ulster career with a late April 2017 PRO12 win over Leinster in Belfast, the same game that was the last appearance of Ruan Pienaar in the Ravenhill club’s colours.
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Paddy Jackson and the Galway question https://t.co/ml4MjCypgr
— liam heagney (@heagneyl) December 2, 2018
With Jackson kept on ice, Irish are travelling to Munster with a squad of 29 players which has Stephen Myler and Jacob Atkins pencilled in at their options at out-half.
The friendly is the English club’s only pre-season fixture ahead of their Premiership Cup campaign, which begins September 21 with a trip to Kingsholm to play Gloucester.
London Irish (v Munster, Friday)
1. Harry Elrington/Will Goodrick-Clarke
2. Dave Porecki/Ross McMillan*
3. Lovejoy Chawatama/Patric Cilliers
4. Chunya Munga/Barney Maddison ©
5. Franco van der Merwe ©/Sam Collingridge
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6. George Nott/Ben Donnell
7. Conor Gilsenan/Blair Cowan
8. Matt Rogerson/Izaiha Moore-Aione
9. Rory Brand/Scott Steele
10. Stephen Myler/Jacob Atkins
11./14. Ollie Hassell-Collins/Ben Loader/Tom Fowlie
12. Terrence Hepetema/Matt Williams
13. Curtis Rona/Brendan Macken
15. Tom Parton/Will Partington
*Ross McMillan has joined London Irish on a short-term contract as World Cup cover.
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Comments on RugbyPass
“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
3 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
2 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
3 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
3 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
3 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
4 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to comments