@Ben Sheridan: They should hand the keys over to Tadgh Furlong. No better man.

@Jim Demps: Another poster who, in an article about one of our best players moving on, takes times to shoe-horn in a Zebo reference whilst taking a pop at the Union. SOB doesn’t move until after the RWC so unlike Zebo, Schmidt has unrestricted access to his player. It isn’t hard to work out.

@Jim Demps: no Jim , I think you can stop presuming .. it’s a well deserved move by O Brien if it’s true and I would wish him all the best … he is available for Ireland until after the WC so if Joe doesn’t pick him it will be because he thinks he’s got better options , just like what happened Zebo prior to going to France ..

@Jim Demps: Do you actually think Zebo can mentioned in the same breath as SOB?
Just like when Sexton was in France or POC announced he was leaving, key players get to kkep playing. Fringe players, and those barely able to hold down their provincial places wont get selected.

@Jim Demps: Absolute plonker you are. Presume you had a problem with POC being picked during the last World Cup, considering he had already signed a contract with Toulon.

@grandslamkbo: it’s a legitimate point bud. Zebo was still playing in Ireland and had most of a season left when he was jettisoned. I’m sure you can see with your objective hat on how people might be annoyed by the optics on it.

@.: steady on with the insults there bud. Play the ball, not the man.

@Jim Demps: you’re dead right jim. Zebo announces in November and didn’t get selected for the next six nations. One rule for joes boys and another for the rest it seems?? Where’s the consistency – also it’s an awful time to be announcing a move away the day before such a big game, what is that about?

@Liam Flague: He didn’t announce it, did he? It was leaked.

@Jim Demps: Come on you’re smarter than that. This is another post where I think you’re just itching to get in a stupid debate.

@Jim Demps: Zebo was making himself unavailable for the RWC because he knew Schmidt wouldn’t pick him. So Schmidt had a November series and a 6N to find someone else. O’Brien is available for RWC selection. He can attend all pre RWC camps. By signing to move on, Zebo wasn’t. Should have just kept playing him for 1 year knowing he wouldn’t be in the world cup squad? Does that sound plausible?

@Eddie Hekenui: I’m not itching for anything Eddie, to be honest I’m not even arguing for zebo to return, I am however pointing out the inconsistencies with an unwritten policy that Schmidt and the decision makers cite when it suits them and ignore when it benefits someone like o brien. If zebo had been included in last years 6 nations then at least they could have claimed to be consistent.

@Jim Demps: Answer the question I asked. You can’t.

@Jim Demps:
You have got your target back I see.

It didn’t take long

@Jim Demps: an interesting question. Hope he is still an option

@Jim Demps: So you think they should have selected Zebo for the 6N when they knew he was moving on and they wouldn’t be playing him in the next 6N, or the world cup?

@.: I’m not engaging with anyone who talks to me like that. Ask me the question again like a normal person.

@Jim Demps: Honestly I think your fishing for a fight. I’ve noticed it in a few of your comments recently. You’re smart enough to see the differences between the two situations and by bringing up Zebo you’re doing a disservice to both him and O’Brien.

@grandslamkbo: they selected McFadden instead of him. He was never going to the World Cup either, injured or not injured.

@Eddie Hekenui: it’s got nothing to do with o brien. I think it’s a great move for him to cash in before the end of his career. Great move for kidney and Irish too.

@Jim Demps: Maybe if Zebo didn’t come out saying Joe wouldn’t let him play the way he wanted then he would have still been picked, but do you honestly think Joe would pick him after that?

@Jim Demps: do munster fans not realize that without this rule they wouldn’t have stander,beirne,farrell,haley and carbery who all moved there to be eligible to play for ireland.

@Jim Demps: you see it with a hint of scepticism Jim. As if Zebo was somehow wronged. Did the same rule not apply to Beirne, Moore, Madigan etc. Why play the Munster victim. I don’t think there’s any question, O’Brien will not be considered.

@Jim Demps: If anything this is a lot more similar to Donnacha Ryan. O’Brien is too old and injury prone to have central contract renewed and is moving on. Zebo’s move has no similarities to this as he decided to move away. Your one eyed view of every rugby article makes you look ridiculous.

@Eddie Hekenui: agree Eddie. There was a time when Jim was one of the better posters but now the chip has grown to both shoulders.

@Liam Flague: he hadn’t announced it.did u read the article or just the headline

@Jim Demps: well he’s fair bit better than zebo so they might make an exception

@Jim Demps: Stop pretending to be outraged. You live for arguments online judging by the braindead opinions you spout on the daily.

@Jim Demps: joe decided we didn’t need Zebo last season so as he was off for the World Cup year what was the point. On the strength of dropping Zebo munster got to sign 3 players of their best players who wanted to play for Ireland and had no affiliation with munster at all. Why would anyone be annoyed that our coach in a World Cup year picks his best players?

@Eddie Hekenui: it’s called true colours

@.: suit yourself.

@Jim Demps: McFadden has a better international record than Zebo.
Zebo has more caps and less tries that ferg.
Oh and a better club record to.
Infact his last act before getting injured was scoring a try in a champions cup semi final.

@Chris Mc: @ everyone else : look Chris, I get all that and I genuinely understand why he will continue to pick o brien and that’s fair enough. The reason I asked the question at the top is because zebo was treated very poorly and jettisoned when he could have played a big part in the squad before he left. Is zebo better than earls or stockdale? Probably not. Is he better than McFadden who was in the squad last year instead of him? 100% yes. If Schmidt didn’t like zebo or didn’t think he was good enough then just say it, instead the excuse we got was that he was leaving, blah blah blah which has ended up with Schmidt just making a rod for his own back.

My point has nothing to do with o brien or even zebo, simply the manner that this flaky “rule” is being used when it suits.

@Jim Demps: they should write it down, set it in stone and let there be no ambiguity about it.

@Jim Demps: FFS, shut the hell up.

@Jim Demps: Zebo and everyone else knew that his Ireland career was finished when he left. If he wanted so badly to play for Ireland he would have stayed. Each 4 year cycle builds up to the World Cup so if you aren’t going to be around for that then there’s no point in being picked. Other options have to be found. U see plenty of NZ players head for Europe after the WC but they are always back before the lead in to the next one.

@bog wars: excellent point. But Munster fans always have the sad, hard done by thing going on

@Jim Demps: in that unwritten rule, there’s a clause about being capped for the Lions. Haven’t you heard.

@Jim Demps: didn’t answer the POV question above there Jim

@Eamonn O Connell: POC

@Eamonn O Connell: if there is a rule there it should be applied equally to everyone. Like i said above, write it down and remove any ambiguity.

@Jim Demps: you’ve a short memory Jim!!!! POC went to the WC even though he’d signed for Toulon.

@Jim Demps: It’s really sad and pathetic now. An article about Sean O’Brien leaving Leinster – and therefore retiring from Ireland duty – is turned into another episode of the Simon Zebo Show. You guys are worse than the so-called Kremlin Bots. The last 5 days, whether it’s here, sportsjoe, Pundit Arena, RTE or various Facebook groups, has been all about Zebo and apparent Leinster and Sexton bias. The difference between SOB and Zebo (and I don’t mean as a player) is there to be seen. SOB is an IRFU player till the RWC. Zebo isn’t. So Zebo is “jettisoned”.

Its been interesting to see jim start off as a reasonable and logical commenter, who was a fan of Munster, develop into a full on troll with massive bitterness towards Leinster and the IRFU

@Jim Demps: but it didn’t apply to POC (rightly so in my opinion) but you have never once mentioned that. You may take off the red glasses and look at it as JS would. Sean o Brien is under irfu player welfare control till after the World Cup. Simon Zebo isn’t. Simple enough really!

@Jim Demps: Oh dear Jim, you’ve let yourself down with the OP and your continuous stubbornness of trying to back it up. A leopard never changes his spots it seems.

@Jim Demps: now Jim Jim, poor Zeebs doesn’t need a martyr.

@Jim Demps: You think Zebo was treated harshly because Joe said ‘we’re not picking him cause he’s going abroad’ instead of the truth which was ‘He’s not good enough, I think we have better options’? That’s odd, I think Joe actually saved Zebo some embarrassment there. In fact, Zebo only announced he was leaving when he found out he wasn’t in the squad.
You seem to be remembering Zebo with rose tinted glasses. How did his last game for Munster go? Man of the match? No, but he did have a big impact on the game. Mostly in favour of Leinster.

@Liam Flague: bitter much?

@Philip Conway: this thread doesn’t have anything to do with zebo or how good or bad one perceives him to be but if it was I’d point to the fact that he’s been nominated for european player of the year this year, one of only two Irish back three players along with stockdale as proof that he is of the required quality.

@Ian Verdon: people are entitled to their views ian and I’ve been consistent on my point on this. Indeed a leopard can’t change its spots but a Leinster fan can always change his colours! In all seriousness though the point here has been muddied by people getting too excited to prove me wrong. If zebo had been selected for last years 6 nations then I’m sure there would have been less of an issue.

@Eamonn O Connell: to help @Jim Demps out on this one.. Sexton was still at racing when Paul O’Connell announced he was going to Toulon so that argument doesn’t really hold up…?

@Batster: no

@Jim Demps: @Jim Demps: Jim I have no desire to get entangled in a back and forth debate with you as you always have an answer for everything it seems as you’re an extremely stubborn with your views even if the majority of posters on here from all corners of the island disagree with you. Not sure why you brought the Leinster fans into it, even if it was aimed as a joke yet another example of your needles camouflaged digs at Leinster on the whole. The sob and Zebo incidents are both v different which has been pointed out to you also the POC angle was thrown in and you disregarded that as it doesn’t support your narrative. Anyways have a good day, enjoy the game on Saturday.

@COYBIG: Once it was announced Zebo no longer played. I’d expect the same to be applied here

@Jim Demps: He probably won’t be selected after he makes the move. Difference is is that SOB has a pretty accomplished record with Ireland and Leinster, and is actually a fairly handy and committed player.

@bog wars: Munster fan here. I have no issue with SOB and playing in a WC . Good on him , just glad the IRFU has learned the lesson from Jamie Heaslip.

@Jim Demps: Jim, your first comment to this article is a very fair observation. And when your posts get some people’s backs up, im sure it must be infuriating for them when you have an answer for almost everything that is thrown at you. Keep fighting the good fight!!!

@Jim Demps:
You made this thread about Zebo, no one else!
And yeah, Zebo looks good when he’s dotting the ball down after someone else’s good work and he celebrates it like he did it all by himself, but the problem is when he’s actually required to do the other 99% of what’s required in a game.
Hence his performance in the Ulster game in Ravenhill. He was outplayed by two, younger, Ulster wingers.
But you’re right, you probably know way more about rugby than Joe Schmidt and Zebo should definitely be invloved in Irish squads.

@Ian Verdon: to be fair ian, o Connell and sexton were pre the current “rule” and pre zebo being dropped despite spending most of a season in the country. If Schmidt didn’t rate zebo and he dropped him because of that then he should just have said it. You’re as objective as they come on here, I’m sure you can see how it looks if you were standing on the other side of the fence.

@Philip Conway: The actual “truth” in not that he isn’t good enough. His record speaks for itself. All time top try scorer for Munster, 12 tries already for racing 92. The truth is he doesn’t fit in with Joe and never the twain shall meet.

@Liam Flague: absolutely agree with you but the fact that Sexton was selected whilst abroad was a stick to beat him with. My point is that theres the Munster bias in the post by never mentioning the POC situation that’s all. Jim has mentioned Sexton more than once in a negative manner. Personally I think that JS has been proven right as the Irish team had the most successful season ever so it leaves the Zebo non selection issue as just a side story as he wasn’t really missed

@Brian Power: What lesson is that?

@Jim Demps: What is this fence you’re talking about? With the national team at heart there shouldn’t be a fence, one would only bring up a fence if there was provincial bias behind their point. I couldn’t care less what club side SOB plays for and if it’s decided he cannot go to the World Cup then I will accept it and move on. We have a vast wealth in the br sure.

@Jim Demps: Jim, you’re asking for it with your constant baiting. I’m a Munster fan and I’m sick of ya to be honest. Muting you is the only answer. Idiotic provincialism from you at every turn.

@Jim Demps: I disagree. SOB is leaving at the end of a RWC and coaching cycle, it’s a very different scenario to Zebo’s.

@COYBIG: That makes sense until you hear all top levels of the IRFU say the 6N is their bread and butter and not a development competition for World Cups. I support the policy of not selecting players based overseas; I don’t support the policy of not selecting players who will be going overseas in the future. Likewise, when a player like Beirne announced his return to Ireland he should have been considered for selection.
This policy has some motivation and underpinnings but its application is inconsistent.

@Philip Conway: Zebo played 13/15 games in the year leading up to his announcement; hardly a fringe player.

@Richard James: you’re right and you’ve put it in a far more eloquent way that I could have.

@Jim Demps: “When Paul O’Connell had agreed on a move to Toulon for after the 2015 World Cup, he continued to be picked by Ireland as a centrally-contracted player and it’s believed 53-times capped O’Brien will be considered in the same manner by Schmidt.”

@Jim Demps: bring back zeebs & donacha for that matter…we’ve lost the run of ourselves thinking we can drop players just cod they choose to broaden their horizons…out in the quarter final again come October

@Jim Demps:

@Jim Demps: Zebo was not a centrally contracted player when he announced he was leaving & would not be available for the RWC so Joe looked elsewhere. SOB is so the IRFU will get their pound of flesh from him while he remains centrally contracted but I can’t see him playing for Ireland when he leaves. For what is worthe Zebo is a young player who chose to leave & play abroad whereas SOB is in the twilight of his career but could still a role to play in the World Cup barring injury as an employee of the IRFU.

@Jimmy Boots: As the IRFU cannot compete financially with England & France the only leverage they have is playing in Ireland to play for the Ireland. As you rightly point out we don’t have the luxury of casting this policy in stone so the IRFU keeps its options open by not making it a hard & fast rule, more of an understanding, in case of emergency.

@Jim Demps: Imagine being this wilfully obtuse.

@Jim Demps: McFadden has a better record for Ireland than Zebo.

@Ciarán Mac Cormaic: that’s his record in club rugby though, his Ireland record is a different story. The team have moved on without him, maybe its time for him to move on too rather than making sly digs at Schmidt.

@Jim Demps: fancy that.
Jim with an inflammatory comment to seek attention and get a reaction.

@Jim Demps: you can clearly see the difference between to two players and their situations. Im starting to think you have some sort of quota of controversial/trolling posts that you have to get through per day. Your posts used to be well thought out but now you’re turning into this apps version of Piers Morgan. Controversial for the sake of it. Sad.

@Paddy Kennedy: I think it’s a valid point that Jim makes. The IRFU needs to be wholly consistent in how it applies this unwritten rule; otherwise it can be accused of unfairness and elitism. Why is it relevant that Zebo plays in France and not England? Surely their situations are practically identical: once Zebo’s move abroad was revealed, he immediately excluded from the international squad? Why should O’Brien be dealt with any differently? Why was Sexton allowed to continue playing for Ireland while working in France, and Zebo not? It’s simply not good enough to say we needed Sexton more. There needs to be a clearly expressed policy on this issue, which is applied to all players equally.

@Jim Demps: yawn

@Jane Aelst: Willfully ignoring facts. Zebo was frozen out because JS knew he would be plying his trade in France during the World Cup, missing camps etc. SOB will not be. Comparing Zebo and Sexton is ridiculous aswell. If you think they are in the same stratosphere of importance then you need to watch more rugby. And having an unwritten rule is the perfect scenario, leaving some leeway. JS gains nothing from having the rule written down as gospel.

@Jane Aelst: One is centrally contracted, one was not. One is available for the World Cup, one is not. If you can’t see the difference there is no point in arguing.

@Jim Demps: can’t believe that you actually made that comment on the eve of a huge match where O Brien has been named to play in the Irish team.

@Jane Aelst: Jaysus. How many times do we keep having to clear this up? 1. Why is SOB treated differently? Because he’s an IRFU player until November. Like POC in 2015. Zebo isn’t an IRFU player so they’ve no control over his minutes. 2. Sexton. Sexton negotiated a deal in his contract (for less money) allowing him to be available for every Irish training camp. Zebo didn’t. The question you should ask is why didn’t Zebo. 3. The playing in England makes no difference. Have you ever heard of Marty Moore and Ian Madigan? It’s unbearable how ignorant some of you are. The answers to all your questions are already there. Are you capable of reading and understanding basic English?

@jim demps – the only one using a rod to beat Joe Schmidt is you. Zebo know the score if he went to France. His style of play doesn’t fit in with Schmidt’s philosophy so he was never going to make the World Cup squad in at case.

@Jim Demps: Jim Jim, listen to Keith wood on Off the Ball explain why SOB will continue to be selected but Zebo wasn’t. It’s not rocket science nor is it the Leinster/IRFU axis of evil out to get poor Zeebs…. Don’t let facts get in the way of a good story.

@Ted Logan: A reference to Zebo? The difference is Schmidt and the IRFU have unrestricted access to SOB until November. He won’t play for LI until after that.

@Ciaran Twomey: Hilarious stuff. 3 disparaging comments in a row about one of the best players ever to wear that green jersey, irrespective of era and number.

@Ted Logan:
I don’t understand munster fans moaning about this rule. At least 3 of your first team wouldn’t have wore a munster jersey as a joke only for this rule. Some people don’t know when they are better off.

@grandslamkbo: absolutely not a disparaging comment about SOB. It’s a comment on the IRFU and then alone.

SOB has been a world class back row for us and never let us down.

@Ted Logan: I say this as a Leinster so there’s obvious bias, but the rationale for not picking Zebo once he announced his departure was two fold.

One, Schmidt didn’t want to continue investing in a player who would be unavailable to him. So that’s irrelevant with Schmidt leaving post WC.

Two, with the likes of Tadgh Beirne being picked whilst playing abroad, solely because he had committed to returning, the IRFU wanted to make a clear statement. Otherwise, a player could decide to go abroad for two years but only miss out on one year of international rugby if they are picked in the year ahead and the year they are returning.

Not saying I agree or disagree with any of it, but they have themselves covered for reasoning.

@Ted Logan: Right. So on heading the news, your first thought (or at least first comment) is about Simon Zebo and the IRFU? The article says he’s contracted until November. He’s the IRFU’s player until then. Zebo wasn’t.

@grandslamkbo:
Zebo missed last seasons Autumn internationals and Six Nations despite being 100% available to Joe once he announced his departure early last season.

@grandslamkbo: I would have ZERO problem for SOB to be in Irish squads after November. If he is doing the business for LI there is no reason he wouldn’t be considered for selection.
The same goes for any other Irish qualified player not playing for one of the Provinces. We have a small enough pool of players as is.
I totally understand the reasons for the IRFU policy but they should not have made exceptions as they have.

@Brian Campbell: Zebo was making himself unavailable for the RWC. Schmidt had an AI and a 6N then to blood someone else for the RWC, and he did. Jacob Stockdale breaks a try scoring record. SOB is available for the world cup and all pre world cup camps. There’s a difference. It’s absolutely ridiculous how often Zebo’s name features in articles now. He’s playing in France. He won’t be picked. He knew the consequences of his departure. Move on.

@grandslamkbo: It is ridiculous ur rite. Im a munster fan and a huge zebo fan but theres people on here who would want to change the record. Its boring at this stage.

@Ted Logan: he let us down when he got suspended for the World Cup quarter final four years ago.

@Ciaran Twomey: only applies to Munster players…cant wait til that boring pr1ck leaves and Faz is sacked

@Jimmy Boots: If you took off your red tinted glasses & thought about what is most beneficial to Irish rugby you might be taken seriously but that will never happen.

@Ted Logan: You presume wrong as he is centrally contracted by the IRFU until after the Rugby World Cup unlike others mentioned already.

@Niall Mac Eitrinn: there is nothing stopping Simon Zebo from playing for Ireland except a suit yourself rule they apply when they feel like it. Zebo left as he wasnt offered a central contract when there was only ridiculously 14 at the time and 3 of those have never since played for Ireland. He has a short career window to make hay he was starting full back for Ireland and when the IRFU wernt playing ball off he went. The same thing with Donncadh Ryan our best lock starting every game no contract and yet one was given to Devin Toner both of a similar age so you can forgive munster people for thinking there was some kind of vendetta in the IRFU. Both Ryan and Zebo are out in the cold for no other reason than a rule that doesnt exist that is applied to some and not others.

@Michael McGrath: Zebo left as a young player who wasn’t offered a central contract & wasn’t happy with a Munster contract. He chose a different lifestyle & the money is good in France. You think Donnacha Ryan was the best lock in Ireland but not everyone does. Suggesting there is some kind of vendetta in the IRFU towards Munster players is childish & just smacks of provincial bias over the national team. Nothing new here.

@David Supple: that comment is doing a major disservice to Donncadh Ryan who at the time was definitively the best lock in the country and obviously at the time Joe Schmidt thought the same. And your talking of Munsters percieved bias dont make me laugh all you have to do is look at some of the comments on here from some Leinster fans to see where most of the provincial bias is. And if you jog your memory properly the IRFU said Ryan who was fully fit was too old for a 2 year contract while at the same time gave Jamie Heaslip who was injured and was the same age a 3 year contract who as it turned out never played again. Also i also said the IRFU had 14 players centrally contracted at the time a ridiculous scenario. Im blaming them not Leinster

@Michael McGrath: You’re a spoofer!! End.Of.Story. Jamie Heaslip wasn’t injured when he signed his deal. He had the best injury profile of any Irish player up that England game and he had started more minutes for Ireland than anyone else in the previous 30 games. He signed his deal after round 2 of the 6N. He got injured before round 5. You are utterly clueless. Sit down and go to sleep.

@grandslamkbo: your the biggest spoofer on here as i said before hiding behind your stupid moniker so what if i was out by 3 weeks the principal is still the same. Not once did i criticise Jamie Heaslip or Sean O Brien or any player for that matter i was criticising the IRFU. So piss off back to whatever rock you crawled out from under and go back to passing comments on the soccer part of the 42 where i see you generate piles of abuse as well for your extensive knowledge on all sports

@grandslamkbo: as per usual you pick up on one part of my argument that im slightly out on by a couple of weeks and latch onto with undeserved vitriol. I never once criticised Heaslip or Sean O Brien or any player for that matter. My beef is with the IRFU and if anything else is wrong with what i said please feel free to abuse me some more. I love taking criticism from someone so perfect as you that you never made a mistake. Speaking of spoofers i have read some of the tripe you put up on the football part of the 42… people in glasshouses buddy