PADDY JACKSON WILL not travel with Ireland’s 29-man squad to Argentina after medics at his province diagnosed a stress fracture in his lower back.
The injury, which forced the out-half off the pitch in Ulster’s RaboDirect Pro12 semi-final against Leinster, kept him out of Ireland’s training run at the Aviva Stadium on Tuesday. The IRFU released him back to Ulster, where the back injury was assessed.
Leinster’s Ian Madigan has been called up as Jackson’s replacement for the two-Test tour to Argentina next month. Joe Schmidt had intended to send Madigan to Romania with Emerging Ireland but his rival’s injury means he will be flying long-haul in June.
Speaking on Monday at his squad announcement, Schmidt explained the selection of a third scrum-half had not helped Madigan’s cause. He commented, “To go with six halves would have been a real tightening of numbers. The thing for Ian is he hasn’t had a lot of game time recently. I have had a really good discussion with him.
“He is going to come in and train with us, but he will go on the emerging tour and will give him and the likes of Ian Keatley time to get game time over there.”
Jackson will not require surgery on the stress fracture, with rest and relaxation his prescription from province and country.