FORMER ULSTER OUT-HALF Paddy Jackson is set to return to the rugby pitch for the first time in over a year after being named in Perpignan’s squad for their pre-season fixture with Toulouse.
Jackson last took to the field in Ireland colours during their summer Test with Japan in June of 2017.
An IRFU and Ulster Rugby review saw the 26-year-old Lisburn native and his former provincial and international teammate Stuart Olding relieved of their Ulster contracts with immediate effect last April, a month after the conclusion of the Belfast rape trial.
In March, Jackson and Olding were acquitted of raping a woman in June of 2016.
Both men will resume their rugby careers in France this season, with Jackson joining the newly-promoted Perpignan in the Top 14 and Olding moving to Brive a division below.
Olding lined out at inside centre for his new club in their 14-0 defeat to Mont-de-Marsan last week. Brive, whose head coach is former Ulster and Ireland lock Jeremy Davidson, face Connacht in their next pre-season game this Saturday.
Jackson, meanwhile, has been named among the backs in Perpignan’s squad to face Toulouse in a warm-up ahead of their 25 August league opener versus Paul O’Connell’s Stade Francais.
🏉 Les arrières : S.Degmache, T.Ecochard, D.Mélé, P.Jackson, R.Séguy, E.Selponi, A.Cocagi, A.Duguivalu, P.Lucas, S.Piukala, A.Taumoepeau, M.Acebes, J.Bousquet, JB.Pujol, J.Farnoux.#GENERATIONUSAP #USAPEMOTION pic.twitter.com/RP9dH49K0C
— Usap (@usap_officiel) August 8, 2018
Seven-time French champions Perpignan are back in the top flight following their relegation in 2014 – the club’s sole divisional drop in its 106-year history.
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