To think Paddy Jackson does not deserve to wear a London Irish rugby jersey

[BumblingAlongNow]

After the massive protests that rightly surrounded the infamous Ulster Rugby Rape trial, only one year ago, he was dismissed from both Ulster and Ireland rugby teams. Yet now London Irish has signed him.

www.london-irish.com/news/irish-flyhalf-signs-for-london-irish/bp2166/

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/may/10/paddy-jackson-revived-career-backward-step-feminism

He was not found innocent.

Those whatsapp messages alone should be enough for him never to be put in a situation where young kids, especially boys look up to him and think 'I want to be like him when I grow up'.

Bad call by London Irish.

I agree. Not defending Danny Baker here no no no but his tweet did not leave anybody bleeding and stitched up up in hospital.

My point being DB sacked by the BBC but a RAPIST is still out there, working, being scouted. Sickening misogyny.

Is there somewhere to direct a complaint? And to sponsors?

And to the hose defending PJ or the club, it’s more than ever easy to see that a culture which benefits one group over another does not stay in place without a lot of work, including by those outside the benefitting group.

Guinness (Diageo) is the biggest name sponsor: [email protected]
From their reply to me it does appear that they are listening so definitely worth sharing your concerns.

The other sponsors are listed here:
www.london-irish.com/sponsorship/sponsors-and-partners/54/

Thanks, Bumbling.

I find this incredibly disappointing.

and rugby is all he knows?

Top RL player is working as a metalworker following being banned from the NRL after an assault on his wife.

Are we really suggesting we ignore the fact that rugby players are massive role models, simply because “oh well rugby is all he knows poor lamb”.

He’s foolish if his only possible career is rugby anyway, it’s a fleeting and risky one!

Twitter seems pretty pissed off about it.

Yeah get an unskilled job if you haven’t bothered to get qualifications. He can’t play rugby forever anyway.

And actually, FWIW I don’t think every misdemeanour cannot be come back from. I think rehabilitation is vitally important in certain cases.

But why does violence against women mean so little? If the guy had been racist he would be banned without a second thought.

Completely agree with QueenoftheTofuTree

Legally he's innocent of rape.

However, if he'd been sending those kinds of messages about the gay or black communities no club would touch him. Why is it acceptable because it's about women?

A very very disheartening day for all women who love rugby.

and rugby is all he knows

Oh yes poor diddums being denied a lucrative, sought after, high status career. My heart bleeds for him.

He can work in a Timpsons. Or pick fruit.

hmmm...another libellous thread. I wonder if he'll be instructing his lawyers to speak to MN HQ

Not libel if it is true, or a genuinely held belief based on true facts.

I personally believe that when you have torn someone's vagina you are scum and a rapist. When you laugh about it afterwards you are worse than scum.

I believe that young woman was raped and assaulted.

www.irishtimes.com/opinion/susan-mckay-public-disquiet-lingered-long-after-belfast-rape-trial-1.3887885?mode=amp

Seems Diageo agrees with some of us:

www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/paddy-jackson-signing-prompts-serious-concerns-from-club-sponsor-diageo-1.3920656?mode=amp

Good, and fair play to Cash Converters for dropping their sponsorship.

“"We’ll judge the man when he’s here and the way he conducts himself but I’m fairly sure we’re comfortable with who he’ll be,” chief executive Brian Facer said in May."
Oh really?

Although LI are not the team I support my son plays for a club which is a feeder club for them (which has really wonderful women's and girls teams as well as boys and men) and he has been a mascot and in the "guard of honour" for LI several times. I'm incredibly disappointed that LI have taken on Paddy Jackson. I shall be writing to them, the sponsors and to my son's club with my views.

The man is a piece of repulsive filthy misogynistic excrement who does not deserve to be employed by a "Family" club like the not-nots.

Paddy Jackson can go fuck himself. I don't care if he never works again and ends up living under a fucking flyover as long as he's nowhere near women.

Delighted to see that Diageo have pulled their sponsorship. Citing Jackson’s signing not concurring with their values.
Astounded that London Irish don’t reverse their decision to employ the odious twerp.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-48629949

Good. That's as it should be.

Resurrecting an old thread but it looks like PJ is still fly half for them. I’ve just been offered tickets for their St Patrick’s Day Party on the 28th March 2020.

Enough to make anyone turn green at the very thought of it 🤢 (not envy)