Is Paddy Jackson Ireland’s ‘James Hook’

Paddy Jackson must be thinking to himself, what does he have to do to get into the Ireland squad.

We recently stumbled across an article written by Welsh rugby publication Wales Rugby Online that featured an interesting interview with Mike Phillips concerning James Hook. Apparently no matter what James Hooks does, the coaches simply just don’t like him and this is why he is always overlooked.

“He could score four tries in training and the coaches still wouldn’t look at him.” said Mike Phillips.

Phillips even said that Hook is one of the best Welsh players of the last decade, but just doesn’t fit the Gatland way

Paddy Jackson is currently playing the rugby of his life, while Ian Madigan is playing second fiddle to Jonny Sexton at Leinster, yet he still keeps getting the nod on the Irish bench, even in this weekend’s experimental side to face England.

Does Joe Schmidt just not like the Ulster man? Or is it a matter of Joe sticking to his tried and trusted Leinster men as he has done so many times in the past? Either way, Paddy Jackson deserves a chance in green this year, let’s hope he gets it against Scotland or Italy.