Regarding the Bristol and USA out-half, Bernard Jackman remarked, “You could actually build a team around him for a while.”
Bernard Jackman feels Ulster should reallocate part of the loosehead’s salary and try to sign an out-half in light of reports in South Africa that Springbok World Cup winner Steven Kitshoff may return to the Stormers this summer and end his three-year contract early.
Billy Burns, an Ireland international with seven caps, is leaving Ulster this summer to join Munster. As a result, the northern province’s senior out-halves for the upcoming season will be scrum-half convert Nathan Doak, the inexperienced Jake Flannery, and emergency option Mike Lowry.
And Jackman feels that if Ulster are to advance the following season, they need a more experienced 10 – someone Flannery and Doak in particular can learn from.
When discussing Kitshoff’s rumoured departure on Monday’s Rugby Weekly Extra for The 42 subscribers, analyst Jackman suggested Ulster try to sign Irish-born USA rugby great AJ MacGinty, who is currently with the Bristol Bears, using some of their newly freed budget.
“I believe that having a prepared 10 is more crucial for Ulster in the upcoming two years—as Doak grows into a 10 or as Flannery becomes a top-class 10—than having a loosehead prop who is still participating in international rugby, where there is a chance of fatigue and injuries,” Jackman stated.
“I wish AJ MacGinty could return to Irish rugby.” Although he is technically a foreign player, he is well-versed in the Irish system.
“There are the typical questions like, ‘How long will it take them to get used to northern-hemisphere rugby?'” if you speak with an Aussie or Kiwi. On the other hand, you could assemble a team around someone like AJ MacGinty for a while.
Regarding [match preparation] during the week, Jackman continued, “He’s very smart off the pitch, very smart on the pitch,” referring to the 34-year-old former Blackrock College student who has led the USA since 2021.
“He’s simply someone I was thinking about the other day, and when I considered who Ulster could pursue, I believe he would be fantastic for them.”
Although MacGinty’s contract was never made public when he signed with Bristol before the previous season, it is believed that he is currently in the second year of a three-year agreement.
And when host Gavan Casey pressed Jackman, who has a history of spilling a few transfer rumours on the podcast, he maintained that he had no evidence to imply that Ulster and the Bristol out-half were currently in talks.
“No gossip!” Jackman chuckled. Just my wish list, please.
“I would simply be attempting to consider which 10s are available who could fulfil that role of aiding in development and who aren’t so self-centered as to lose sight of the larger picture, which might be to bring through two young 10s.
Regarding MacGinty, Jackman remarked, “He just came to mind.” He remains one of the highest rated 10s in England, as I have always thought. To be fair, he’s been injured a few times, but someone like him could be worth a look.
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