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PADDY HITCHED TO ULSTER’S WAGON
He scours the sheet full of familiar names, and he’s
happy that Stuart McCloskey has received his first
senior call-up, and believes the choice of Rory Best
as skipper is the right one by far.
For Paddy Jackson, 24 just a couple of weeks ago,
rugby has been a lifelong passion, something to be
enjoyed but to be worked at to really fulfil potential.
After a lunchtime chat about today’s game against
Oyonnax, his ambitions for himself with Ulster and
with Ireland, he’s heading back to the training ground
for some kicking practice.
“In the game today you really do have to give
everything to improving and developing the skills
you might have, to maintain the standards you hope
you’ve set for yourself,” he says.
“I just love playing. I really enjoy making things
happen at No.10, and I want to do that for as long
as I can, but it means putting in the hours, learning
patterns, going through the phases.
“Here at Ulster we’ve got a great coaching group of
Les Kiss, Neil Doak, Allen Clarke, Joe Barakat and
Niall Malone, and you learn something from them
all,” says the engaging Jackson, a young man who’s
already achieved so much but has longevity in mind.
Born in Northern Ireland, his father’s work took the
sporting Jackson family to England, and it was at
the Sutton Coldfield club that Paddy first showed his
prowess – and ambitions – at rugby, aged just eight.
“The stories are trues, I’m afraid, I was playing mini-
rugby and the Sutton Coldfield jersey had green
squares on it, but I insisted always on playing in
my replica Ireland top! I played a lot of football, and
cricket, but I really enjoyed the rugby, and as Dad
and my brother played I got really involved.”
Returning to the Province, Jackson the youngster,
as a student at Methody, was a regular at Belfast
Harlequins age-group sessions, and he remembers
fondly the encouragement and coaching he received
from his friend’s father, former Ulster prop Arthur
Campbell.
“Those were good times, it was always so enjoyable,
and to honest rugby became a big ‘thing’ for me.
“At Methody, of course, I was lucky enough to play
with good players and in good sides, and we won
a Medallion Shield, and then I went on to win two
Schools’ Cup Finals, and those are things that always
remain with you.
“The legendary David Wells had created such a
winning mentality at the school - carried on by his
successors - which continues today of course, and I
was just part of a group who were successful and got
noticed a bit,” he says modestly.
The cascade of representative honours followed,
apparently inevitably, with Ulster Under 20s, a Junior
World Cup with Ireland in 2011, and it was in that
year, at just 19, that he made his senior Ulster debut
in a win over Scarlets.
The next year would see Paddy Jackson’s talents
being nurtured carefully by the Ulster management,
and he was very clearly ‘one to watch’, but in April,
2012, he says being thrust into the European Cup
spotlight came as a shock.
“There hadn’t been any indication I’d play in the
Heineken ‘semi’ against Edinburgh, and when my
name ‘popped’ up in a squad meeting my heart gave
a jump! Obviously I was pleased, and the whole
group was so supportive, especially Ian Humphreys
who would have been frustrated to lose out, but he
and I get on really well and he backed me.
“We got to the final in London and came up against
a very good Leinster side, and on the day we weren’t
good enough, but it was a huge experience.”
Nine months later he was in an Ireland jersey, a
defeat by Scotland, and he admits it wasn’t his finest
hour as a player.
“There was a bit of negativity at the time, around the
team and around me. I’m human, I don’t like criticism,
but I try to find the positives in everything, to learn all
the time, and I know I’m still very much on that curve,”
he says.
Paddy Jackson is a player fans of the game love to
watch, he’s attack-minded and positive, and it’s the
same with his approach to life. Les Kiss’ arrival at
the Kingspan he feels has galvanised the squad and
the mood, and though he’d toured with Ireland in
America under Kiss, and been involved with him at
Ireland level, Jackson is ever more impressed by the
Director of Rugby’s attitude.
“He’s one of the most positive people I’ve ever met,
and I really think that Ulster Rugby, and its fans, are
very lucky to have him here.”
And of Head Coach Neil Doak he could not be more
enthusiastic. “Doaky has always backed me, since
I was 17 he’s been there to put an arm around me,
to offer the right advice at the right time, I owe him
so much. And with Les he’s always encouraged me
to be more attacking, they have got me reading the
game so much better.”
Jackson’s sense of humour and comedic gifts have
entertained thousands on social media, and in more
PADDY JACKSON
HE just checked who’d been listed in Joe Schmidt’s Ireland squad, quietly
pleased to see that he was, inevitably, included.