Zebo magic will be hard to replicate
THERE was almost something refreshingly unique about Simon Zebo. His sheer talent and ability was undeniable and was well flagged long before he broke through the senior ranks with Munster.
The Cork native had natural flair in abundance. The kind of player who could make things happen. You could sense the energy rising in the crowd when Zebo got on the ball.
What really shone through was his personality, on and off the pitch. Engaging, honest and charming, he was a natural in press conferences which could often be stuffy affairs. Zebo didn’t do dull.
It was the same story on the pitch. This talented outside back never lost that sense of fun which gets coached out of players the higher they rise in the game.
Did it irk some coaches? Absolutely. Joe Schmidt had no shortage of frustrations with the Munster wing. For Zebo, the feeling was mutual. Eventually, the pair began to see eye to eye.
Schmidt appreciated that Zebo was a game breaker whose talents could not be ignored. Zebo would also admit that the ultraintense Kiwi made him a more rounded player, particularly in defence.
Soldier Field was the pinnacle of that working relationship when Zebo starred in a historic win against the All Blacks in Chicago. It was Zebo who delivered plenty of momentum-swinging moments on a turbulent day in the Windy City. That beautifully placed chip kick which laid the foundations for Robbie Henshaw’s match-winning try immediately springs to mind.
In truth, Zebo never truly reached his potential at international level. His haul of 35 Ireland caps (seven tries) is more than respectable but he could have achieved so much more. Yes, he toured with the British and Irish Lions to Australia in 2013 but the fact he featured in just one World Cup — in 2015 — and was used sparingly, ensures he retires with regrets on that front.
You wonder how his Test career would have panned out if Andy Farrell was running the show during his peak years, especially when you look at the way that free spirits such as James Lowe and Mack Hansen are thriving in his Ireland set-up.
By the time Farrell came on board, Zebo was still plying his trade with Racing 92. When he returned to Munster in 2021, a host of young wings had surged up the pecking order.
Zebo’s ‘second coming’ at Thomond Park has been punctuated by injury setbacks as well. There have been flashes of his old brilliance from time to time but the emergence of Calvin Nash and Shane Daly has seen Zebo operate on the periphery for much of his second stint with his home province.
The hope is that he will get back on the field for a final farewell in front of the Munster fateful in the coming weeks. The province are on course for a top seeding in the URC play-offs and Zebo could yet play a role in Munster’s title defence.
At his peak, he was one of the most dangerous and prolific wings in Europe, scoring 60 tries in 144 appearances. And he did it all with a smile on his face. There was widespread shock amongst the fanbase when he signalled his intention to leave the province to link up with Racing in 2018. A fluent French speaker, he was always keen to explore a different culture and test himself in a different environment. He became a fan favourite, scoring 25 tries in 60 appearances. He came home to a huge reception when he agreed to re-sign with Munster in 2021. The plan was to reestablish himself with his province and potentially push on and win more Ireland caps. Ultimately, that plan never came to fruition Injuries have restricted him to just 29 appearances across the past three seasons. Still, he has managed 13 tries in that time. And delivered some big moments, too. Maybe he didn’t quite achieve everything he wanted in the professional game, but he certainly enjoyed himself. ‘I’ve loved every second, it’s been some craic and I can’t wait to see what’s next,’ he said yesterday. That sounds like Zebo alright.