JOHNNY WATTERSONfinds the young Ulster pivot well aware of the task facing him today but up to the challenge

FOUR MONTHS ago Paddy Jackson became the latest to roll off what the Ulster faithful were calling the Ravenhill Conveyor Belt. The young outhalf appeared in a Friday night match against Llanelli alongside 19-year-old Craig Gilroy and 20-year-old Nevin Spence. All three were home grown players.

When Ian Humphreys was ruled out with a shoulder injury Jackson stepped in for the first of several senior matches.

Ulster coach Brian McLaughlin described him then as a “smashing talent” and “one for the future, definitely.”

Today, Jackson, who starts with the Ireland Under-20 team against England in their first pool match, has Ulster team-mate Luke Marshall outside him in the centre and free scoring Gilroy at fullback.

In the pack, three more of Ravenhill’s finest line out, hooker and captain Niall Annett, second row Iain Henderson and Trinity flanker Dominic Gallagher.

Young play-maker Jackson knows the world will be watching to see how he copes with a physically massive England team and the prospect of limited ball. He will likely find himself under more pressure today in Italy than on that February night in Belfast.

“Tough group, definitely,” he says. “I’d say it’s the tougher one, with England and South Africa to start off with. Especially after we lost to England (46-15) in the Six Nations, although we were missing a good few players.

“I think we all know that every match is going to be tough, especially with the hard ground and the weather. It’s obviously very hot in Italy. But we’re all well conditioned and have been taking care of ourselves. We know what to expect.”

Jackson is taking the momentum of a decent club season and the feel good factor of Ulster’s emergence from their Heineken Cup pool for the first time in over a decade.

“I definitely think something is happening, that we are moving forward,” he says. “Shane Logan (chief executive) in there and David Humphreys too . . . there has been a lot of talk about where Ulster want to go, about the ambition especially over the next five-10 years.

“The new signings like (Ruan) Pienaar, Johan Muller have just been brilliant. They just brought so much to the team, even helping out in the academy with the young players there. You’ve seen Luke Marshall and Craig Gilroy they’re getting chances. That’s young players coming through. For the future I think those are very positive steps.”

Ireland have a sparkling backline and Jackson knows it. Part of his responsibility will be to make it tick. He knows too they bounced off England in the tackle during the Six Nations and in the breakdown came second best.

That was the reason Mike Ruddock drafted in Ireland defence coach Les Kiss and forwards coach Gert Smal. Former Irish prop Reggie Corrigan was also borrowed to give the scrum shape and stability. But there is no confusion about the way Ireland and Jackson would prefer to play the game.

“There has been much less kicking over the last season or so. That’s definitely been the theme with our team. We know we can run the ball and we know we have speed out wide in the back three especially,” he says.

“I think that’s what we’ll be looking for and I think we’ll be confident in ourselves to do that.

“When we have our full backline we get really decent yardage out wide.

“Mike really wants to play a running game and I’d be the same. I think that’s definitely a strength.”

Treviso is also a shop window and while this year’s World Cup in New Zealand is too soon, the tournament in four years’ time would be part of their long term views.

“It’s a long way to go. But that’s what everyone is there for,” he says. “That’s what everyone’s goal is. You want to make it at the top level.

“Me, personally, yeah I’d love to break into the seniors as soon as I can but I’m not really looking past this.

“Obviously I have to do well with Ulster first and this World Cup. It’s a long way to go but definitely it would be in my sights.”