Jackson linked with London Irish
Paddy Jackson, the former Ulster and Ireland fly-half whose contract was revoked by the Irish Rugby Football Union this year, has been linked with a move to London Irish.
Jackson, who was found not guilty of rape and sexual assault in April, moved to Perpignan in the French Top 14 after Ulster Rugby and the IRFU terminated his contract.
Perpignan, who are yet to win this season, are 13 points from safety heading into Christmas, despite Jackson’s personal haul of 84 points in the league.
There have been reports in France that Jackson would leave the club should they drop into the second tier, and a Lyon newspaper has now reported that he is to join London Irish.
A move to Sunbury would reunite Jackson with his former Ulster director of rugby, Les Kiss, now head coach at Irish, alongside director of rugby Declan Kidney.
The Exiles lead the Greene King IPA Championship by four points after relegation last season.
“The club does not make comments on speculation,” a spokesman told The Daily Telegraph yesterday.
Jackson would represent a major signing on the field but the club would face opposition off it, as Sale Sharks discovered this year. Sale attempted to sign Jackson and Stuart Olding, another codefendant in the trial cleared of rape and now playing for Brive in France, only to be met with a considerable backlash from local politicians and sponsors. Jackson had agreed a deal with Sale worth less than £200,000 per year before the club pulled out. Meanwhile, Ireland captain Rory Best has backed Joe Schmidt to take charge of the British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa in 2021. Schmidt will step down as Ireland head coach following next year’s Rugby World Cup. “The Lions is one of the few things he hasn’t done; he hasn’t been given the opportunity to be successful there,” Best said. “But I have no doubt that he would be successful given that opportunity.” Ireland lock Iain Henderson has been ruled out for up to three months after thumb surgery, ruling the Ulster forward out of nearly all of the Six Nations.