Bernard Jackman ’really torn’ on Gerbrandt Grobler’s return to Munster after drug ban
Former Irish rugby union player Bernard Jackman says Munster head coach Johann van Graan has been "thrown under the bus a little bit" over Gerbrandt Grobler return from a drugs ban, writes .
25-year-old Grobler returned to full training with Munster this week after serving a two-year ban for a positive test for the anabolic steroid drostanolone during his time with Western Province.
He has been named in the ‘A’ side to face Nottingham in the B and I Cup on Friday.
Jackman says he is "torn" on the subject.
"I’m really torn on this," he told 2fm’s Game On.
"It has never come up on my radar, the scenario where I have had the option of recruiting somebody coming back from a drugs ban.
"I’m in two minds. In one way I say no, we shouldn’t sign him [hypothetically] and then I say, has he the right to come back and have redemption?
"I don’t know what the answer is."
The Dragons head coach added that he thinks Van Graan was "thrown under the bus" by Rassie Erasmus.
"I feel sorry for Van Graan to a certain extent because he has inherited this. He needs the players to play and he has probably been thrown under the bus a little bit by Rassie.
"He signed for Racing 92 last year and we all knew in France his background. It didn’t really cause huge controversy there. It was mentioned in media reports, but then it died down.
"He’s the first player I remember coming into Ireland who has that in his background."
"It’s something that potentially could come up again and if there was a clear policy, then you take the case-by-case scenario out of it."
