PADDY JACKSON WAITED a long, long time for his second Test match start of the 2015/16 season, but it won’t be easily forgotten. By anyone.
Ulster’s out-half has put down his finest season at provincial level, reining in more and more responsibility for his province while driving them into the (admittedly ill-fated) Pro12 play-offs.
At international level though, after playing 80 minutes in the very first World Cup warm-up all of 10 months ago, he had to dutifully bide his time for the rest of the season as he was asked to play only 40 more minutes for Ireland – just 22 of them in the World Cup.
It took an injury to Jonathan Sexton and a French contract with Ian Madigan’s name on it to earn his belated promotion to the matchday squad for this month’s tough tour in South Africa. Yet in an arena that was supposed to push him beyond his limits, Jackson looked made to measure.
The 24-year-old showed all the experience gained in his years since being thrown in the deep end by Ulster and Ireland. He was a remarkably cool head in a situation that was downright crazy.
Advertisement
Never was his assurance better displayed than in the minutes before half-time. Ireland could have crumbled after the Springboks clawed their way into the lead with Lwazi Mvovo’s try and the yellow card for Robbie Henshaw that reduced Ireland to 13 men.
Instead, Jackson took a reassuring grip on his team and the game, refusing the easy option to continue an attacking phase that was only about to get slower and instead hoisting the pressure onto his own shoulders and bisected the posts with a perfectly struck drop-goal.
His day wasn’t perfect. The 10′s swagger clearly wobbled after he gifted Pieter Steph du Toit a try with a careless flat pass towards Jack McGrath. But despite what people may have read from his outward youthful features, Jackson has always held a steely confidence underneath that worried expression.
An intercept pass, a second half drop-goal off target, but his veins soon froze over again when he got the chance to set the ball on the kicking tee. That’s the measure of the baby-faced assassin.
Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
Even before the game was turned upside down Jackson looked perfectly comfortable at Test level, and we had to wonder how Ireland might have fared with him at the helm when Jonathan Sexton repeatedly limped out of World Cup and Six Nations matches.
Aided by Conor Murray’s imperious presence, Jackson was giving Ireland an exciting, vibrant and varied threat in attack, leaving the ‘Boks to rack up five penalties in the first 10 minutes in response — including one for a reckless high hit on the out-half himself. Jackson dusted himself after after taking Damian De Allende’s best shot, drilled his penalty from that deceptively tricky, right-of-the-posts on the 22 metre line angle and never looked back.
Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
It’s not entirely down to Jackson that the script we all thought so predictable was ripped to shreds, doused with petrol and reduced to flakes of ash. There were immense performances from Devin Toner, Jordi Murphy, Luke Marshall and the unleashed fullback version of Jared Payne. But the storyline that most expected to follow a CJ Stander red card would have featured Jackson’s name as an excuse.
It would have been easy for his team-mates to lie down and let thoughts like: ‘Johnny Sexton’s not here’ nag away at the dark corner of their minds, but Jackson moved so smoothly, so purposefully and defended with such venom around the park that the notion simply never occurred.
The42 is on Snapchat! Tap the button below on your phone to add!
Jackson's steely confidence shines for all to see in Cape Town masterclass
PADDY JACKSON WAITED a long, long time for his second Test match start of the 2015/16 season, but it won’t be easily forgotten. By anyone.
Ulster’s out-half has put down his finest season at provincial level, reining in more and more responsibility for his province while driving them into the (admittedly ill-fated) Pro12 play-offs.
At international level though, after playing 80 minutes in the very first World Cup warm-up all of 10 months ago, he had to dutifully bide his time for the rest of the season as he was asked to play only 40 more minutes for Ireland – just 22 of them in the World Cup.
It took an injury to Jonathan Sexton and a French contract with Ian Madigan’s name on it to earn his belated promotion to the matchday squad for this month’s tough tour in South Africa. Yet in an arena that was supposed to push him beyond his limits, Jackson looked made to measure.
The 24-year-old showed all the experience gained in his years since being thrown in the deep end by Ulster and Ireland. He was a remarkably cool head in a situation that was downright crazy.
Never was his assurance better displayed than in the minutes before half-time. Ireland could have crumbled after the Springboks clawed their way into the lead with Lwazi Mvovo’s try and the yellow card for Robbie Henshaw that reduced Ireland to 13 men.
Instead, Jackson took a reassuring grip on his team and the game, refusing the easy option to continue an attacking phase that was only about to get slower and instead hoisting the pressure onto his own shoulders and bisected the posts with a perfectly struck drop-goal.
His day wasn’t perfect. The 10′s swagger clearly wobbled after he gifted Pieter Steph du Toit a try with a careless flat pass towards Jack McGrath. But despite what people may have read from his outward youthful features, Jackson has always held a steely confidence underneath that worried expression.
An intercept pass, a second half drop-goal off target, but his veins soon froze over again when he got the chance to set the ball on the kicking tee. That’s the measure of the baby-faced assassin.
Even before the game was turned upside down Jackson looked perfectly comfortable at Test level, and we had to wonder how Ireland might have fared with him at the helm when Jonathan Sexton repeatedly limped out of World Cup and Six Nations matches.
Aided by Conor Murray’s imperious presence, Jackson was giving Ireland an exciting, vibrant and varied threat in attack, leaving the ‘Boks to rack up five penalties in the first 10 minutes in response — including one for a reckless high hit on the out-half himself. Jackson dusted himself after after taking Damian De Allende’s best shot, drilled his penalty from that deceptively tricky, right-of-the-posts on the 22 metre line angle and never looked back.
It’s not entirely down to Jackson that the script we all thought so predictable was ripped to shreds, doused with petrol and reduced to flakes of ash. There were immense performances from Devin Toner, Jordi Murphy, Luke Marshall and the unleashed fullback version of Jared Payne. But the storyline that most expected to follow a CJ Stander red card would have featured Jackson’s name as an excuse.
It would have been easy for his team-mates to lie down and let thoughts like: ‘Johnny Sexton’s not here’ nag away at the dark corner of their minds, but Jackson moved so smoothly, so purposefully and defended with such venom around the park that the notion simply never occurred.
The42 is on Snapchat! Tap the button below on your phone to add!
History makers, Schmidt’s greatest win, and more Ireland talking points
Out of 10: How we rated Schmidt’s Ireland in their historic win over the Boks
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Cape Town Cometh the hour... Ireland Paddy Jackson South Africa Springboks the jackhammer ticked all the boks