In defence of Bernard

HE’S Leinster’s John Hayes, is Bernard Jackman, or at least the John Hayes of a few years ago. Of all his team-mates, Jackman is the player most abused, most castigated and most belittled by many of rugby’s commentators, yet he is the player most appreciated by those who know best – his own.

The reason? Well, much as John Hayes was seen as being deficient in what many considered to be the principal duty of a tight-head prop – holding firm on his side of the scrum – Jackman is seen as being lacking in what many consider to be the primary duty of a hooker, throwing into the lineout.

Unfair criticism, says Shane Byrne, the man Jackman replaced as Leinster hooker – as wide of the mark as any stray dart ever thrown by Jackman himself.