JACKSON: FROM EXILED TO EXILES
Points-machine Paddy firing London Irish as he rebuilds career after rape acquittal controversy
WHEN Paddy Jackson joined London Irish, it cost the Exiles their long-time sponsor and the support of a section of their fans.
He came with the considerable baggage of having been accused and acquitted of rape in a trial that gripped Ireland for 42 days at the start of 2018.
Many thought a 25-cap career would simply fade away in the wake of his contract being revoked by the Irish Rugby Football Union and the social-media furore that surrounded the case.
Yet, three years on, Jackson is top points scorer in the English Premiership and on Sunday has a chance to steer the Exiles into the semi-finals of the European Challenge Cup.
Irish travel to Toulon, three-time Champions
Cup winners in the days of Jonny Wilkinson and showing signs of becoming a force to be reckoned with once again.
“Paddy will be massive for us,” said head coach Les Kiss.
“It’s going to be a big occasion. When their crowd and team get going, it can be quite a challenge.”
On-form Jackson should be pushing for an international recall, putting pressure on Johnny Sexton for the Ireland No.10 shirt ahead of next year’s World Cup.
That is hard to imagine, given what has gone before, but, by the same measure, who foresaw him making this impact in arguably the most competitive league in rugby?
“This is what I like about the club,” said Kiss (left), a former Aussie rugby league star. “When you look at who London Irish are, a lot of us live away from home. It’s a place where you look after each other because we’ve only got each other.
“The group took Paddy in and he worked hard with them. And when you work hard together, spill sweat and a bit of blood on the training paddock, those bonds grow.
“That’s been a big part of it for Paddy, how the group have worked with him.
“They’ve just said, ‘He’s part of us and that’s all there is to it’.
“His mates have been strong for him and he’s grown with that. They have a lot of respect for him and he respects what they do for him.”
Jackson has scored 196 points in 23 Premiership games, 18 more than Saracens’ Alex Lozowski and, according to Kiss, is also now a “general”.
“He just used to be good and play with the parts that were made for him,” said his former Ulster coach. “Now he designs the parts around him.”
Jackson cannot change the past, but is shaping an exciting future for London Irish.