RASSIE ERASMUS BELIEVES it’s inevitable that Munster and Irish rugby will continue to lose players like Simon Zebo to big-spending French and English clubs.
But the departing Munster boss reckons it will not impact on Ireland or the provinces because the supply line in this country is very strong.
Erasmus praised Zebo for informing Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt and the IRFU of his intentions, rather than waiting until he was included in the national squad for the November internationals.
Zebo’s new club, presumed to be Racing 92, was not going to announce it so he could have stayed silent and remained part of the Irish squad.
“That’s how Zeeb’s didn’t want to do it,” said Erasmus. “He didn’t want to take the chance and get into the Irish set-up, and then tell the boys when he has got another cap or two. That’s not the kind of guy he is.
“I don’t think there was pressure. I think he wanted to put it to bed so he could concentrate on the season going forward and that’s why he came out with it.”
Erasmus said everyone in Munster was disappointed to hear of Zebo’s departure, but he added that it’s part and parcel of the modern game and is set to become more prevalent.
“We’re disappointed but I have to take it like any other job. In any other job if you get a massive offer like that and you can look after your family… he’ll probably earn in Racing in three years what he will earn in Munster in nine years.
“So it’s nobody’s fault. It’s the way the professional game goes. It’s sad. The boy’s cried. He’s one of our friends and he’s one of the guys who’s not going to play with us next year. But what can you do?
“If he gets an offer like that from a massive club, I’m telling you he’d be stupid not to take it so nobody’s upset with him and he’s sad to go.”
Erasmus said Irish provinces and other clubs without private owners can’t compete in the transfer market, and therefore need to get used to losing some of their biggest stars.
“I think all clubs that don’t have private owners struggle because obviously there are restrictions and a lot of other things. Club players who are selected for Ireland must play in Ireland, but it seems to be different when you are playing in France. I just think if you don’t have a club owner you won’t have those big bucks.
“But again, Racing is currently under us in the table, they’ve got an owner and the big names and massive guys in their team and Munster seem to find a way to beat them. It’s not the end of the world. Sometimes the tightness of a team is more important than the names on the team. But I think it’s going to become a trend with all clubs that don’t have owners.”
But he believes that Munster and the other Irish provinces will continue to thrive even if they lose some of their biggest stars because the supply line is so good.
“Look, guys are coming through, you get the Darren Sweetnams, the Alex Woottons. Simon Zebo was also once 22, 23 and was a young upcoming star so I always think guys will come through. We’ve got a wonderful academy and Munster always seems to find a way every single time.
“We’ve got 11 players in the Irish national squad, which is great. We shall be challenged against Dragons next weekend because we will be without 11 so I think that’s what makes Munster special — the guys just seem to pop up.
“I can’t wait for Alex Wooton to play and yeah, Zeebs will be with us now next week and young Stevey Fitz [Stephen Fitzgerald] will be in the mix; Sam Arnold, Tyler [Bleyendaal] might be back.
“It’s going to be tough. If you take our budget compared to Racing last week and you take the names in that team, you think ‘how the hell are Munster going to beat that team?’ But we got it right and it’s the soul of the club that is really strong, and I think it always will be.”
Erasmus reckons the loss of Zebo is an isolated case and doesn’t think that the likes of CJ Stander and captain Peter O’Mahony, both of whom are out of contract at the end of the season, are likely to follow him out the door.
“I don’t think that’s a problem,” he said. “I think Simon is an extraordinary talent which will fit into the French set-up. He’s a player that they have been targeting for years and he is extravagant and the way they do it in France is probably a perfect fit.”
Zebo will be a big loss to Munster but you can’t blame the man for accepting what seems to be a huge contract from Racing 92
@Niall Cunneen: oh come on can we please move on from this.. it’s far from the end of the world for Munster or Ireland, the lad didn’t even make the Lions squad! Munster are bigger than any one player, he was offered a smashing deal by Munster, rumored to be €425,000 plus a stand-alone sponsorship deal but that was trumped.. if it comes down to cash alone we just can’t compete with France. Let’s just change the record now and focus on developing Sweetman, Bryne, Lamont, Wootton etc
@Marcodub: exactly its last weeks news. So move on and good luck zebo #alwaysared
@Marcodub: Ah the rumoured fee he was offered, it seems to change in every comment to suit whatever narrative they’re pushing. In reality we don’t know the fee but we do know that like Donnacha Ryan he was interested in staying in Ireland and like Ryan he found the offer to be disappointing and uncompetitive. The argument of not being able to afford players like that in their prime would be great if we didn’t currently have reserves like Kearney, Bowe, Heaslip and Healy enjoying massive central contracts on terms greater than what Simon was offered. Our resources are mismanaged, it’s not just a question of money.
@Rochelle: once again it’s all Leinster’s fault. The man wanted to play in France what part of that don’t you get?
@Chris Mc: once again it’s all Leinster fans commenting
@PScald: don’t be a prat! Why unearth shouldn’t we comment.. do you own the comments section or something? .. grow up and stop you’re constant moaning, it’s tiresome at this stay and simply pathetic.. let it go pal!
@Marcodub: PScald and Rochelle live in an echo chamber and don’t want to do anything other than insult or exclude people with opposing opinions.
@Marcodub: I completely agree with you. The media are hyping on about this as if it’s the worst thing to happen in the rugby world. I have a huge amount of confidence and also excitement for the incoming Sweetnam, Wooton, Fitzgerald and Nash.
@Chris Mc: Exactly. And he said also that he’s half French so the attraction of playing in France would be that much greater.
@Rochelle: also like Donnacha Ryan, Zebo has always stated his interest in playIng and living abroad. Not everything is someone’s fault. And with regards the ‘reserves’ you mentioned, the answers in your own statement. Their on contracts and funds in most cases will be reallocated on completion of contract. Love see how many players’ we’d lose if we followed what you seemed to suggest, which is cutting contracts midway through…
@Niall Cunneen: Zebo will be a big loss to Ireland and you can blame the IRFU for that.
@Tony O Connor: That’s right. They should have offered him €1,000,000 per week. Did it ever enter your head that he wanted to move? I thought not.
@Chris Mc: No it is not Lenisters fault, however it is the fault of the IRFU there are 14 central contracts and this system is currently miss managed.
@Marcodub: thanks for making my point for me.. good job..
@Conor Paddington: well done Conor.. really doing a great job on here. So balanced and concise
“The boys cried”! They need to get a grip, it’s a dude moving 2 hours away to take another job for a bit.
@Dermot Byrne: Erasmus said: “The boy’s cried.” in other words; ‘the boy has cried’ which doesn’t mean more than one person cried, only one of them and in this case it was Zebo. Yes, I am an a$$.
@Nick Drake: not an ass at all. That’s not the sort of grammar lesson you should have to teach to a bloody adult and it completely changes the meaning of the sentence. Dermot’s comment is completely wrong, it’s not pedantic to point thst out. I am an aşş though.
@Conor Paddington: fair enough, just woke up and read article and commented without noting the ‘. BUT, the context indicates that it was more than just Zebo crying, I wonder if Erasmus intended ‘boys’ and the author of this piece erroneously wrote ‘boy’s’.
@Dermot Byrne: that’s fair. As you can see below, I am a bit over excited to be off on a Monday morning.
Players need to go abroad in order to break this discrimination in Irish rugby which ordains that if you don’t accept lower wages from them then they’ll punish you with International isolation.
That policy is a throw back to a byegone age.
It’s archaic.
@Gerry Ryan deG: haha, discrimination? Moving over to France to earn 700k is descrimination in nobody’s book. The fact is, if we’re construing the IRFU as an employer in this scenario, then when a player plays overseas yhey are only available yo their employer about 70% of the time. What employer would chose an employee who is only available 70% of the time over an employee who is entirely controllable. Furthermore, the guy who moves abroad is no longer an employee, whereas the guy who plays for the provinces is. Discrimination… ha.
@Gerry Ryan deG: and while I’m ranting, there’s continuity to the rugby being played within reason. If a player is playing in Ireland they will be playing a familiar style of rugby in familiar combinations which will slot more seamlessly into the national team. Whereas if you’re plying your trade in France you’re liable to be playing a more off the cuff brand of rugby, which is great, but it won’t slot into the green jersey. And laud off the cuff rugby all you want, but how have the French national team been doing with flair the last number of years?
@Gerry Ryan deG: Or you could incorrectly cite NZ whose set-up Ireland are trying to emulate. Those guys all play their rugby in NZ and are used to the NZ style such that when they pull on a black jersey they can throw the ball around at each other and make it look effortless… discrimination…
@Conor Paddington: he is effectively endorsing the dissolution of Ireland’s only professional sports teams…is he Nigel Wray?
@Conor Paddington: give it a bloody rest will you!! Snore-fest.
@Matt F: haha, probably.
@Alan Madden: pïss off.
@Conor Paddington: well said Conor.. some folk are just blind to the bigger picture, as a Leinster player I was disappointed Madigan wasn’t selected last Nov but hey I understand the principle of what the IRFU are doing here.. hats off to them, it’s keeping both provinces and team Ireland strong!
@Conor Paddington: so conor if your wages were closed to double you would not leave your job and go
@Conor Paddington: if you are looking at Zebo being like a contractor where you can jave him for certain tineframe but you dont have to pay him for the rest of the time. If we had about 5 players abroad it would leave more money to keep the rest happy. I know you will be affecting provinces performance but it opens the door for more younger players like wooten who scored four tries in pne game but hasnt been seen in last 3 or 4
@ktsiwot: comb back through what I said and quote where you think I implied that. I thibk Zebo was absolutely right to go, I look forward to watching the odd Racing match and yelling for him next season. I also think it’s absolutely right to exclude him fromthe national set-up. If he returns to Munster a few years down the line, he should be welcomed back with open arms.
@Thomas: that seems like a rational alternative which will perhaps have to be considered down the line if the floodgates do open, though I support the measures in place while they’re still working.
@Gerry Ryan deG: This policy protects Irish Rugby, the IRFU cannot compete with the money abroad and the only thing they have is the carrot of playing for Ireland. If that is taken away this will happen.
1) Irish provinces will become less competitive as the big players will be abroad.
2) the provinces being less competitive will result in lower attendances.
3) Lower attendances will result in less cash from gate receipts and TV revenue
4) Ireland will become less competitive as they won’t have as much time with the players or be able to look after them as well as if they were at home.
If we get rid of this unwritten policy we are gabbling with Irish Rugby as it is now and what has brought us success in the past.
@Gerry Ryan deG: I don’t think Martin O’Neill will bring in the same rule for the Irish soccer players any time soon where they have to play in Ireland to be selected.
@Marcodub: that’d be The Ireland team that plays 5 competitive tournament games each year and a few more every 4 years before exiting the WCup.
Protecting Revenue is more like it. It’s as likely it diminishes the team while protecting the Union.
@Gerry Ryan deG: ah… you’re a troll
Not entirely sure Rassie grasps the idea of loyalty if I’m completely honest
This current Munster team will be destroyed for a long time if they lose POM & CJ at the end of the season
@John Carey: Frankly, I think they’d be better off without them, especially Stander. I feel 6. O’Callaghan, 7. Oliver, 8. Copeland would be Munster’s most effective loose trio combination
@beni gabor: actually I think Conor Murray has long been putting his hand up as the incoming 6, which gives Munster the opportunity to develop talent in Murray’s current position of outside centre, but well said.