FINALLY, RIGHT MESSAGE IS SENT OUT
Standards expected within Irish rugby have been made clear by the sackings of Jackson and Olding
THE statement, when it finally arrived, was brief and the all the more powerful for its brevity. Three stark paragraphs. The first confirmed that the IRFU and Ulster Rugby have revoked the contracts of Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding with immediate effect.
The second expressed the IRFU and UIster Rugby’s commitment to the ‘core values of the game: respect, inclusivity and integrity.’
And the third paragraph emphasised the importance of proper education to instil those values into all players.
So, that’s that then? A line has been drawn under this whole sorry and hugely damaging episode for Ulster and Irish rugby and everyone can park it and move on?
Not quite. The strength of reaction to Jackson and Olding being acquitted of all charges in the Belfast rape trial and the unsavoury evidence that emerged over the course of those proceedings precludes any notion of everything returning to normal.
Many questions remain and the answers will determine how Irish rugby, and Ulster in particular, can get past this sorry episode.
Was it the right call?
Absolutely. The emphasis on ‘core values’ in yesterday’s statement reinforces the conviction that there was only one correct decision to make here.
If Jackson and Olding had been allowed to continue their Ulster and Ireland careers, it would have sent out a terrible message about the standards of behaviour deemed to be acceptable in rugby.
Conversely, by terminating their contracts, the IRFU and Ulster Rugby have made a powerful statement about players realising the consequences of their actions and that will resonate throughout the game.
There have been no winners in this affair but one definite upside is the focus it has thrown on educating players in proper behaviour, a focus that could extend to other sports also, and that can only be a good thing.
What were the decisive factors in making the decision?
Irish rugby is on a high, Munster and Leinster are returning to the status of being among Europe’s elite and the national side is a huge success story, having risen to second in the world on the back of a string of victories and their recent Grand Slam success. There are massive positives there in promoting the game and that requires a positive image to go with it.
That image was badly tarnished over the past few months by the rape trial and its fallout and it was essential to reclaim lost ground, with yesterday’s decision a significant step in the right direction.
There were commercial factors intertwined with this ethical reasoning, the need to maintain good relationships with sponsors who had expressed grave concerns about being associated with a damaged brand had to be a significant factor.
Should Craig Gilroy also have had his contract terminated?
Perhaps. The Ulster and Ireland winger was not on trial but, through his contribution to the WhatsApp exchanges, was caught up in the sordid narrative surrounding the case. And, considering Jackson and Olding were acquitted of those charges, yesterday’s decision was centred primarily around those messages and the image they portrayed — Gilroy sent messages also but allowance may have been made for the fact he was not part of the events on the night in question.
The IRFU say Gilroy has been ‘sanctioned’ and suspended until the end of April but, as long as he remains on Ulster’s books, the shadow of these events will continued to hover over Ravenhill and he will become the focal point for public reaction. It might have been best if Gilroy was moved on also.
What about the Ulster supporters?
It was depressing to see the Ulster Rugby Supporters Club (URSC) come out so strongly last week, demanding that Jackson and Olding be reinstated and threatening repercussions in terms of ticket sales if they were not.
URSC president Willie John McBride also defended the right of the two players to continue their Ulster and Ireland careers and that backfired badly. Regarded as an icon of Ulster and Irish rugby for his playing exploits, McBride’s offering earned widespread condemnation.
It increases the belief that protesting yesterday’s decision would be a disaster. Ulster’s supporters have a key role in the province being able to put this episode behind them and the images of young Ulster fans outside Ravenhill on Friday wearing tshirts proclaiming ‘I support Paddy Jackson’ were disturbing.
Loyalty is an admirable quality in any group of supporters but misplaced loyalty, as it is in this case on the back of yesterday’s decision, would be hugely detrimental to the cause.
The fear is that, with more than 17,000 signatures on the URSC petition calling for the players to be reinstated, there will be a strong reaction for a body of Ulster supporters that will do further damage to the province’s image.
The most advisable approach from the Ulster fans now would be to accept that this decision has been made and get back to properly supporting the team on the field.
However if sections of their support wish to express their protests by leaving, ultimately the province is better off without them.
What about the Ulster team?
Ulster have had a rough season and the controversy surrounding the rape trial cannot have helped. Results have been poor, head coach Les Kiss was moved on and the man lined up to replace him, Jono Gibbes, is returning to New Zealand at the end of the season.
Irish rugby needs a strong Ulster to properly flourish. The resources available to the province, both in terms of player numbers and high quality facilities, demand a steady production line of talent into the national set-up.
In the 23-man squad that landed the Grand Slam in Twickenham in March, there were only three Ulster players – captain and hooker Rory Best, second row Iain Henderson and winger Jacob Stockdale.
That is far below the contribution Ulster should be making and, with the fallout from the rape trial throwing a root-and-branch spotlight on how the province is going about its business, this is an opportunity to re-focus and plot a solution to recent problems on and off the pitch. There is homegrown talent in Ulster and that now needs to be directly encouraged. The last few weeks have been encouraging in this regard.
Young flanker Matty Rea was the standout performer in Ulster’s jittery win over Ospreys on Friday night, while former Ireland Under 20 star Johnny McPhillips has impressed during Jackson’s unavailability and the departure of Christian Lealifano.
Stockdale is now a world rugby superstar on the back of his remarkable try-scoring exploits in the Grand Slam.
However, the province needs to reassess their policy of consistently looking overseas, mostly to South Africa, for playing input because it has not worked.
Prioritising their internal feeder systems to bring through young talent to the Ulster and Ireland set-ups is the way to regender a positive image in the wake of all the recent negativity.
This has been a torrid period for Ulster rugby, but you hope lessons have been learned on the back of it and everyone, from players, coaches and administrators to supporters, can properly reflect on all that has taken place and be wiser and better for the experience.
If fans wish to leave, the province is better off without them