Jackman hooked on success

FOR many years, the only hooker outside of Leeson Street that most followers of Irish rugby would have recognised was the shiny-domed Keith Wood.

With Woodie's injury however, along came the crew-cut Frankie Sheahan, swiftly followed by the hirsute Shane Byrne, and we were becoming spoiled for choice. Well, move over lads, because somewhere between the lot above in the follicle department, there's another trying to muscle his considerable frame into that hooker equation.

Meet Bernard Jackman, recently of English Premiership side Sale Sharks, but this season returned to his senior rugby roots in Clontarf and set the AIL on fire. In excess of 17 stone and 6'1", Jackman has just been added to an extended international training squad, the result of a scorching AIL campaign with table-toppers Clontarf.

This Saturday, the former Newbridge College schools star hopes to top off that season with a win over Ballymena in the Division One final at Lansdowne Road, and it's an occasion that really excites him.

"Brilliant, it's the biggest day in the history of the club and I can't wait. It's been brilliant all year, a huge amount of fun, every week enjoyable, or most of them anyway. The momentum has been building from the start and hopefully we'll be able to finish off what we've started now by lifting the title on Saturday."

Clontarf used to be the poor relations in Dublin rugby circles, northside club, butt of every joke their more prosperous, school-based, south city rivals could think of.

But not anymore, certainly not in Jackman's time with the club. In 1996, at the behest of then-coach Brent Pope, who had seen him in action with the Lansdowne seconds, and with the encouragement of his uncle John Finnegan, a life-long Clontarf supporter, the 20 year-old fast-developing talent made the journey to Castle Avenue.

It was a match made in heaven. In his first season Clontarf won the AIL second division title and promotion to the top table with the Floodlit Cup thrown in as a bonus.

The input of their all-action hooker was duly recognised and Bernard captained the Irish Colleges side that toured South Africa, won U21 international honours and added a playing contract with Connacht.

The following year, as club captain, the Floodlit Cup was retained, the Leinster Senior Cup lifted, an honourable fifth place in the first division secured and his personal graph continued to rise.

Three Ireland A caps were followed by selection to tour with the big boys in South Africa.

A year later however, Jackman was in England, plying his trade with Sale and off the Irish international horizon. "I didn't have a great tour to South Africa. I was a bit young I think and not really ready for it physically. I finished my exams, went off to

England, and I think there was a little case of out-of-sight, out-of-mind.

"But I think I'm the better for going away. I've improved in the last few years and if the chance comes again I'll take it."

Well, the chance is coming, but first there's business to take care of. Back in the bosom, Jackman has picked up where he left off with Clontarf, and this Saturday, having led the league in try-scoring, will backbone the challenge of a club he has come to love.

"Ah it's brilliant, like a Gaelic football parish almost (as a former Wicklow minor and U21 player from a small club called Coolkenno, Jackman would know).

"You go into Clontarf any night and you'll find locals in the bar, like a local club. There's a great sense of identity there, great camaraderie, it's not a case of the corporates coming in on the Saturday just to be seen there. And the supporters are fantastic, they make noise, they're not wearing the fur gloves, very much a vocal support. If you're struggling a bit, that can give you a great lift, help you to turn things around.

"It's great that now, finally, they are meeting with some success because they were without it for a long time."

The same could be said perhaps for Jackman himself, a long time waiting for the top honour to fall, but now opportunity knocks.

"I think the future is bright, I hope it is anyway. I was 27 last Monday, and if I'm going to make it, it had better be soon. I've had a good season, injury-free and scored a few tries. But it's easy to do that when you have a good pack.

"Good players making space for other people and I've just been lucky enough to be on the end of a lot of moves. I'm looking to get back into the provincial scene and from there hopefully make a push for further honours.

"But it all depends on holding the form. I've been offered a contract by Leinster and Connacht, but I don't want to get into that until after this Saturday."

All the big names this Saturday are with Clontarf's opposition, Ballymena, all the big names are ahead of Jackman in the Irish hooker pecking order. What odds?