AN ONLINE petition has been launched to get Ulster Rugby to reinstate Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding to the squad.
The Change.org petition has gathered over 5,600 signatures thus far in its first day, just a couple of weeks after the two men were found not guilty in their high profile rape trial.
Both are currently not being considered for selection pending a review.
The petition reads: “Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding were found not guilty of rape and therefore should be reinstated to the Ulster Rugby squad as soon as possible as they have already been forced through a very public trial and been suspended from playing throughout this trial.
“This is punishment enough and Ulster Rugby should be showing support to their players who were found not guilty.”
The petition also included that “the same applies” to Craig Gilroy, who was dropped for Friday night’s game against Edinburgh after sending a WhatsApp message used as evidence in the trial.
Just last week, Paddy Jackson publicly apologised for the "degrading and offensive" WhatsApp messages he sent to friends after the incident.
Meanwhile, another petition was placed in The Belfast Telegraph last week urging both Ulster Rugby and the IRFU to commit to never allowing both Jackson and Olding to play for Ireland and Ulster again.
