Marshall’s move reaps reward

They were rival fly-halves at school who evolved into professional team-mates, but although Paddy Jackson’s potential at No 10 forced Luke Marshall to move a step further along the backline, it is Marshall whom both agree is the more free-spirited of the pair.

Given their intertwined development as rugby players, it is fitting that both 21-year-old Ulster men will make their Test debuts at Murrayfield on Sunday when Ireland take on Scotland in Edinburgh.

They began as out-halves vying for Ulster Schools Cup glory. Methodist College’s Jackson gaining the upper hand over Ballymena Academy’s Marshall in their head-to-head battles, 2-1 to the Methody man.

“I remember him trying two left-footed drop goals from the 10-metre line against me,” Jackson recalled of those days playing against Marshall. “He didn’t get them, though. You’re asking if he is free-spirited, he definitely was.”

“I suppose, at my school we didn’t really kick the ball,” Marshall added. “It was the opposite of how Paddy played at school.

“They are reasonably similar 10 and 12, especially the way we played. It was easy enough moving out to 12, I maybe just had to concentrate a little bit more defensively.

“Initially I wanted to stay at 10, so I did, because I’d played there since the start. But I knew he [Jackson] was pretty special, so I was happy to move to stay in the team.

“I think it was Neil Doak at Ulster who sort of said to me, ‘you’re pretty big for a 10, why don’t you consider moving to 12?’ He [Jackson] was coming through and a couple of other good 10s, so I was happy enough to move.”

Marshall’s defensive game has come on in leaps and bounds as is required of an inside centre but neither has he given up the kicking side of his fly-half duties.

“I still practise it. I can take a little heat off Paddy, so I still practise,” he said.

Marshall has been helping to relieve the pressure on Jackson ever since they joined forces in the Ulster academy, developing together as Ireland underage team-mates and then into their province’s senior side. The high point, so far, came last November when both were handed starting roles in the uncapped Ireland 15 game against Fiji in Thomond Park and, on a night dominated by fellow Ulster man Craig Gilroy’s hat-trick of tries, they also impressed in the 53-0 rout of the Pacific islanders. Marshall scored a try of his own while Jackson kicked five conversions and a penalty.

Marshall is not naive enough to imagine Scotland will be as frail or as unstructured as the Fijians and he spoke of his gratitude towards fellow centre Brian O’Driscoll for helping him to prepare for his Test debut.

“That game [Fiji] was quite broken,” Marshall said. “Scotland will be a much harder fought game. Brian has been good to me this week. He has been speaking to me about the game.

“I just want to do what I have been doing this season for Ulster, bring that same form.

“Just do what I’ve been trying to do that last couple of years — enjoy the game and do what I do. There are guys beside me with a lot of experience in the team, so it should be fine, yeah.

He added: “I’m slightly nervous but I would be before any game.

“I just have to make sure my head is in the right place, I’m looking forward to it.”