Andrew Jackson, a graduate of St. John's high school and a key member of that school’s highly successful rugby teams, Andrew Jackson represented numerous Manitoba provincial U-20s and Senior Men’s teams over a period of several years and was a key member of the Saracens Rugby Football Club.
Better known to most as AJ, Andrew was first selected to represent Manitoba in the U-20s in 1975. He missed the 1976 year due to injury but played again in 1977, at which time he was selected to the Canadian U-20 All-Star team.
An automatic selection to Manitoba Sr. Men’s Provincial Rugby teams when available, Andrew’s participation was particularly remarkable and an indication of his commitment to the game given that his prime playing years were spent pursuing his education out of province at Lakehead University on a wrestling scholarship, during which time he was to garner a CIAU Championship Silver medal in 1980. Those who know rugby and particularly those who played with or against Andrew know him as a genuine student of the game, a fast learner and a relentless competitor. A lock forward, Andrew was an excellent scrummager and an astute lineout technician. He played during the era preceding the lifting of players in the lineout and with rigor applied himself to developing the skills and techniques that made him a formidable lineout jumper. He was also a very useful goal kicker.
As a Saracen, Andrew played for his club from the time he graduated high school all the way through to 1990, playing in seven of the ten winning Saracen sides that won provincial championships during this time, missing only three games; one due to University attendance, the other two due to injury. He was of course a member of the Saracen touring team to New Zealand in 1980 where he played in all six tour games and was awarded “Man of Match” honours in the Saracens 21 to 7 victory over the Opawa RFC.
Andrew’s playing record for the Manitoba Sr. Men’s Provincial Rugby teams is outstanding, and where he, along with a squad comprising of sixteen other Saracens, three Wanderers and one Assassin, played an influential role accomplishing an upset and first time ever Manitoba Sr. Men’s victory over Alberta in 1980. On the strength of this game, and others played representing the province, Andrew was invited to the Canada West All-Star camps in 1981, 1982 and 1983. Here he further caught the eyes of long-standing Canadian lock forwards Has De Goede and Ro Hindson who saw in Andrew, both abilities and potential. Both affirmed that for Andrew to realize his full potential he would need to play rugby in the lower mainland of British Columbia. Unfortunately this was not a realistic option for Andrew who was in the midst of attending Lakehead University at the time.
Andrew’s situation however was definitely Manitoba’s gain where, to summarise, Andrew enjoyed a representative career spanning twelve years from 1975 through to 1986 during which time he gave sterling service to both his union and the Saracens Rugby Football Club. One can only imagine the heights that Andrew might have achieved had he played in the modern professional era and had the opportunities of assistance that exist today for Canadian players of demonstrated ability and potential. One question would however remain: Who would have been big and/or strong enough to lift AJ in the line outs of today?
Better known to most as AJ, Andrew was first selected to represent Manitoba in the U-20s in 1975. He missed the 1976 year due to injury but played again in 1977, at which time he was selected to the Canadian U-20 All-Star team.
An automatic selection to Manitoba Sr. Men’s Provincial Rugby teams when available, Andrew’s participation was particularly remarkable and an indication of his commitment to the game given that his prime playing years were spent pursuing his education out of province at Lakehead University on a wrestling scholarship, during which time he was to garner a CIAU Championship Silver medal in 1980. Those who know rugby and particularly those who played with or against Andrew know him as a genuine student of the game, a fast learner and a relentless competitor. A lock forward, Andrew was an excellent scrummager and an astute lineout technician. He played during the era preceding the lifting of players in the lineout and with rigor applied himself to developing the skills and techniques that made him a formidable lineout jumper. He was also a very useful goal kicker.
As a Saracen, Andrew played for his club from the time he graduated high school all the way through to 1990, playing in seven of the ten winning Saracen sides that won provincial championships during this time, missing only three games; one due to University attendance, the other two due to injury. He was of course a member of the Saracen touring team to New Zealand in 1980 where he played in all six tour games and was awarded “Man of Match” honours in the Saracens 21 to 7 victory over the Opawa RFC.
Andrew’s playing record for the Manitoba Sr. Men’s Provincial Rugby teams is outstanding, and where he, along with a squad comprising of sixteen other Saracens, three Wanderers and one Assassin, played an influential role accomplishing an upset and first time ever Manitoba Sr. Men’s victory over Alberta in 1980. On the strength of this game, and others played representing the province, Andrew was invited to the Canada West All-Star camps in 1981, 1982 and 1983. Here he further caught the eyes of long-standing Canadian lock forwards Has De Goede and Ro Hindson who saw in Andrew, both abilities and potential. Both affirmed that for Andrew to realize his full potential he would need to play rugby in the lower mainland of British Columbia. Unfortunately this was not a realistic option for Andrew who was in the midst of attending Lakehead University at the time.
Andrew’s situation however was definitely Manitoba’s gain where, to summarise, Andrew enjoyed a representative career spanning twelve years from 1975 through to 1986 during which time he gave sterling service to both his union and the Saracens Rugby Football Club. One can only imagine the heights that Andrew might have achieved had he played in the modern professional era and had the opportunities of assistance that exist today for Canadian players of demonstrated ability and potential. One question would however remain: Who would have been big and/or strong enough to lift AJ in the line outs of today?