Zebo earns Ireland recall but no room for Stockdale
SIMON Zebo is back in the Ireland squad for the first time since 2017 following his return to Munster from Racing 92.
The versatile Munster back, who has 35 caps and toured with the Lions in 2013, is set to make his comeback in the Dublin games against Japan, New Zealand and Argentina next month as part of Andy Farrell’s 38-man squad.
Ulster pair Nathan Doak and Jacob Stockdale miss out but forward Iain Henderson is included along with uncapped Leinster pair Dan Sheehan and Ciaran Frawley.
Ireland start against Japan on November 6 and host the All Blacks a week later before completing their triple-header at Aviva Stadium on November 21 against Argentina.
“It has been a short lead in to this international window but that is the challenge, to get back up to speed quickly and build on the performances from the Six Nations and the summer Tests,” said head coach Farrell.
“This is the start of an exciting period for the group as we begin to build towards the Rugby World Cup in France. In September we got together and mapped out what was coming up in this window, the exciting fixtures that lay ahead in the next 12 months and beyond that the opportunities to improve as a group over the next five windows we will have together.
“In a few weeks’ time we will face an exciting and well coached Japan team who showed in July what a dangerous team they are.
“New Zealand dominated the Rugby Championship, losing just one game, while Argentina are battle hardened from playing the southern hemisphere’s ‘Big Three’ week in week out over the past two months.
“It would be fantastic to play in front of a full house at the Aviva Stadium. We had small crowds back in for the games in July and even that made a huge difference to the team and the atmosphere in the stadium.”