Paddy Jackson signing sparks Twitter storm

London Irish’s recent announcement of signing former Ireland fly-half Paddy Jackson has been marred in controversy on social media.

The 25-year-old will team up with Declan Kidney’s newly promoted side from French outfit Perpignan a year after having his contract with Ulster and the Irish Rugby Football Union terminated. This is after he was acquitted alongside fellow Ulster player Stuart Olding of rape in early 2018.

Despite being cleared, a series of WhatsApp messages by the players have since caused outrage, making Jackson a very unpopular figure.

Consequently, many people have vehemently disagreed with the Exiles signing Jackson, with some supporting boycotting the club. One fan said how they were “beyond disappointed and disgusted” by this on Twitter, while another said that people’s memories last “a lot longer than a season in France”.

This was a deal that had been anticipated for a while, and many predicted that it would prove as controversial as it has. It seems impossible to see how Irish will be able to appease these fans that are horrified by this signing. This is what they have said:

While there is a huge number of those showing heavy censure at this news, there are many that are equally looking forward to the arrival of Jackson. There is no denying that the former Ireland standoff is a high quality player, and many seem to look beyond his past and will judge him for what he produces on the pitch.

Some have also mentioned how Jackson was not found guilty, however, that does not suffice for many, who do not think that he should be awarded a contract.

Nonetheless, some see this as a great coup for London Irish:

However, this will surely be the most controversial signing this year, and one that will surely rage on throughout Jackson’s time at the club.

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