PADDY JACKSON may be withdrawn from next month’s Junior World Cup in South Africa following a request by Ulster that their starting outhalf is not considered for underage selection.
Jackson’s status will be decided tomorrow by the IRFU Performance Committee, which includes chief executive Philip Browne, director of rugby Eddie Wigglesworth, along with Pat Whelan, Finbarr Crowley, Louis Magee, Martin O’Sullivan and Tom Grace.
A submission for Jackson’s withdrawal from the squad is expected from Ulster director of rugby David Humphreys with Ireland under-20s coach Mike Ruddock obviously keen to retain the player who captained the side to second place in the Six Nations.
There is precedent for this. Luke Fitzgerald didn’t play in the 2007 under 20s Six Nations due to his promotion into the Leinster side and Rhys Ruddock was transferred from the Junior tournament in Argentina to win his first senior cap against Australia during the 2010 summer tour.
Leinster’s Cathal Marsh or Munster’s JJ Hanrahan are Ruddocks alternative outhalves ahead of the opening game against South Africa on June 4th.
Keeping Jackson at home, while damaging to Ireland’s already daunting task of facing the hosts then Grand Slam champions England and Italy, is due to his rapid progress into the Ulster number 10 jersey for the Heineken Cup semi-final victory over Edinburgh.
The 20-year-old was replaced by London Irish bound Ian Humphreys just five minutes into the second-half of last Saturday’s 42-14 final defeat to Leinster at Twickenham, following a number of uncharacteristic errors.
“I didn’t think it was my place to go and say anything to Paddy after the game but I still think he has a great future, he made a couple of mistakes in the final but so did all of us,” said halfback partner Ruan Pienaar.
“To play in a Heineken Cup final at the age of 20, not many can say they did that. He has got to remember the day and learn from it and come back stronger, I know he has a cool head on his body, he’ll take this on the chin and he’ll be back again.”
Niall O’Connor is expected to return from Connacht to contest the outhalf position with Jackson next season, while the versatile Springbok has made it clear he signed for Ulster until 2014 to play scrumhalf.
“I really enjoy playing more at nine and that is what I came over here for, back home one week I was playing nine and the next week I was playing 10 then 15 and I didn’t really enjoy it, playing at scrumhalf every week has been good for me,” Pienaar said.
On Monday Declan Kidney mentioned Jackson as an option to travel to New Zealand should Ronan O’Gara or Jonathan Sexton get injured, but Ulster’s primary concern is to have him rested come pre-season training in July. He will be promoted from a development to full-time provincial contract.
Meanwhile, Brian McLaughlin is not expected to take charge of the Ulster Academy next season, but is to be given a coaching/recruitment position overseeing prospective professionals coming out of the schools system.
The Ulster Branch confirmed yesterday that McLaughlin’s new contract automatically begins on July 1st when his head coaching contract ends, with his actual job title to be confirmed before September.
“I would love to be an 18- or 19-year-old boy coached by Brian,” said Ulster captain Johann Muller. “Two, three or five years from now you’re going to see the great work he will have done with the Academy to take this team to new levels.”
However, McLaughlin is not currently being considered for the position of the head of the Ulster Academy that is due to be filled.
Finally, Ulster prop Tom Court will not be on the plane to New Zealand next week having sustained a fractured thumb last Saturday that requires six weeks recovery. Chris Henry, another due to fill Kidney’s three AN Other forward positions, has a better chance of recovering from an ankle injury.
