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Zebo's wondrous flicker of skill feels inimitable eight years on

At 22, the Corkman looked set to grace international fields for a decade, but almost four years have passed since his last cap.

William Stride / YouTube

THERE WERE SOME less generous takes.

Stuff like: if you think a ‘soccer-style’ flick is incredible, you should watch a bit of, y’know, soccer. That would really blow your socks off.

A little pushback was inevitable given the fevered giddiness that grew around Simon Zebo’s inspired, reflexive flash of skill eight years ago today.

It’s a moment that still casts resides in easily-accessible memory. Each descriptor applied to Zebo in print, every commentary aside about his playing style is still tangled up in a split-second contortion in the lead-up to Cian Healy’s try against Wales in 2013.

First impressions count. And Zebo was a mere 23 minutes into his Six Nations debut with a try already under his belt when a poor pass to the right unwittingly gave the 22-year-old Corkman a chance to emboss his name on international rugby.

It felt like the stage would be Zebo’s for a decade or more from that point on. With England taking on Ireland in round two, The Telegraph sent a reporter to Blackrock to dig up the humble beginnings of “Zebomania”. A respectful refusal to participate in the frenzy from Zebo’s mother was included alongside hushed talk of his prowess in two codes of football, athletics and, when the trail moved to Cork Con and rugby, John O’Mahony somewhat belatedly brought up the fact that his son was in fact a team-mate of sport’s new superstar.

Virality is not the most reliable measure of an instant’s impact on public consciousness, but when Jamie Heaslip clunked a pass a little low, a little too far back, Zebo instinctively caught the imagination of the rugby world and beyond.

When the dust settled on his debut, the flick and what turned out to be a gritty Ireland win, Zebo himself veered more towards playing down the moment. ‘One of those things,’ he’d say with a smile hovering somewhere between embarrassment and coy pride. His first Six Nations was ended by injury 11 minutes into the loss to England, but as a late call-up to the Lions tour that summer, he told the media scramble in Sydney that he practised his football skills every day in training and predicted he would repeat the trick some day.

simon-zebo-runs-in-for-a-try Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO

Yet it was the flick’s inimitable quality that made jaws drop. Even if such a skill can be spotted every weekend on a football field, it’s not readily repeatable in rugby, certainly not on such a stage as a Six Nations curtain-raiser. Perhaps even the more experienced Zebo would be less inclined to do something so unorthodox if the same ball were to drop behind him this year. 99% of passes like Heaslip’s that day result in a knock on, lost possession or, at best, slow ball after a player does the ‘smart play’ by diving on the loose ball.

Smart, just not inspired.

The exotic in rugby has became all the more familiar, the soon-to-be Ulster star Leone Nakarawa passes from all angles (in at least one instance there was even a side-footed pass, square across an opposition 22), Super Rugby and Mitre 10 Cup footage is easily accessible and this generation’s Carlos Spencer is a pasty Scot. Yet that early addition to Zebo’s highlight reel still stands apart.

There have been thrilling moments and memories in Irish rugby in the eight years since:  a long-range Jonathan Sexton drop-goal, Rob Kearney’s resurgence in Chicago, Jordan Larmour’s sidesteps, Ian Madigan’s tears and a handful of Jacob Stockdale chip-and-regathers.

Zebo’s flick, though not without its share of perspiration through repetition, had a higher dose of inspiration than anything that came since. Nothing quite struck the chord of the wider imagination quite like the Corkman did.

That willingness to improvise inevitably brought Zebo to grate against Joe Schmidt. Ireland’s most successful head coach was certainly not the most flexible – we can only imagine how he would have balked at trying to plan through this past unplannable year. 29 of Zebo’s 35 Test caps were under Schmidt’s watch, but there was always an unmistakable sense that their differing styles could only grate.

The IRFU’S unwritten rule-that’s-not-a-rule about selection of overseas-based players has its merits and sensible sports science behind it. Yet there was no allowance on show even for a transition period never mind a work-around when it came to Zebo. As soon as he had agreed a move to France, he was already in exile despite still playing for Munster.

Now in exile proper, Zebo’s frustration has at times burned through with what some people misread – often willfully – as Schadenfreude. He is 30 now, a long way removed from the young tyro his parents were keen to protect from the limelight. Although he has fierce competition for places in the Racing 92 back three he remains a thrilling sight to behold when on form, a gamechanger of the highest quality.

It’s just a great shame that, eight years on from the flick he lodged in the archives on his first Six Nations appearance, we are also approaching four years since his last outing in an Ireland shirt.

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    Mute Umpaloompa
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    Feb 2nd 2021, 8:32 AM

    Bait article lol

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    Mute Dan Jones
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    Feb 2nd 2021, 9:01 AM

    @Umpaloompa: completely, just trying to get people talking about the foreign player policy. I hope this doesn’t get traction for the42s view revenue. So transparent.

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    Mute thesaltyurchin
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    Feb 2nd 2021, 9:06 AM

    @Umpaloompa: Using Zebo is like fishing with dynamite too!…Still one of the most awe inspiring things I’ve seen an Irish player do, BOD’s pass over the top another.

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    Mute Tom Rooney
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    Feb 2nd 2021, 9:24 AM

    @thesaltyurchin: Was just about to say the same!

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    Mute Alan Kenny
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    Feb 2nd 2021, 9:58 AM

    The foreign club rule lost all credibility once they allowed Sexton to play for Ireland while he was in France. Can’t have one rule for some and another for the rest.

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    Mute Chris Mc
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    Feb 2nd 2021, 10:16 AM

    @Alan Kenny: was it not Tommy Bowe or easterby or J Murphy who were allowed play overseas first? Why pick on sexton? Why not get your facts right.

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    Mute baw baw
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    Feb 2nd 2021, 10:40 AM

    @Chris Mc: I reckon the fact Sexton was picked when abroad when David Nucifora and joe schmidt were in charge and the same rule under their reign was used to pre-exile zebo in Munster before he even moved within a short time span from sextons selection abroad is the reason he gets cited.
    Easterby and geordan murphy are a different era and bowe moved back to ulster in 2012 i think so whether you argue in favour of the rule or not in favour theres no argument that it was selectively enforced rather than a blanket rule.
    I for one think it’s a good rule but I also think loads of young players should be off to the D2 or english championship and come back if showing well rather than academies and provincial A games as the irfu really messed up letting AIL fade away.

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    Mute Ricky Wright
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    Feb 2nd 2021, 11:31 AM

    @Chris Mc: Because Alan (a) is new to rugby and (b) thinks there is a massive “D4 agenda.” He’ll get plenty of thumbs up for his post. No matter how often you respond, hundreds more will make the same uninformed post. There’s a never ending well of ignorant people out there.

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    Mute Chris Mc
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    Feb 2nd 2021, 1:17 PM

    @baw baw: you know enough about this to understand the that sexton was in bits coming back into training camps and this spured the rule.
    Also sexton had a release in his contract for Irish camps Zebo didn’t. Madigan and D Ryan were 2 players who also got left out of selection. They both left as players on the squad and Ryan was first choice at the time.
    They like Zebo knew and understood that they would not be considered for Ireland if they moved. They made their own decision knowing the consequences.
    Zebo played 5 times v England and didn’t score so for people to say he’s some sort of missing link is just daft.

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    Mute Rudiger McMonihan
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    Feb 2nd 2021, 1:19 PM

    Worth pointing out for the 1000th time that Sexton was at his peak back then and we had no decent backup… we still have no back up, however with Sextons age he wouldnt get picked if he went overseas again.

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    Mute baw baw
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    Feb 2nd 2021, 3:25 PM

    @Chris Mc: yea absolutely fair to mention the clause to get released for irish camps as it makes all the difference to context. Do you reckon if say ryan madigan or zebo had that clause they’d be in contention to be picked then? If so grand but youd have to imagine the door is shut with no exceptions and that wasnt the case for Sexton. Like you said he came back to camp wrecked so maybe its lesson learned and that’s why he was last out the door, again if so fair enough. But my point isnt about zebo in particular just that theres no denying the rule was open to interpretation when players had contract decisions to make and post sextons return there it seemed iron clad which is a change in stance all of a sudden which has to be noted, examples are as you said Madigan Ryan and zebo.

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    Mute Peter McCarthy
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    Feb 2nd 2021, 8:58 AM

    I like these articles, it a homing beacon for trolls. Easier to mute them all, and makes the rest of the comment sections less of a cess pit.

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    Mute Oval Digest
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    Feb 2nd 2021, 9:44 AM

    It’s not exactly a ‘wilful misread’ to call some of Zebo’s petty social posts around Irish losses ‘schadenfreude’ though.

    Like he’s a cracking player and a very funny dude, but has also acted the dick on a few occasions on social and in the media.

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    Mute Mark Smith
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    Feb 2nd 2021, 10:59 AM

    Clearly a bad sports news day and we need to flog the dead cat that is Simon Zebo to get a few clicks, mine included.

    The overseas policy of non selection is fantastic as is what keeps our provinces strong and competitive

    Given a choice I am sure the majority of us would rather watch our teams win with home grown Irish players, than imports. We have to keep our home rugby strong.

    The only way this would change would be like Scotland where the Union just don’t have the money to pay their stars and have to let them go to reduce the debt.

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    Mute Ricky Wright
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    Feb 2nd 2021, 11:36 AM

    @Mark Smith: I agree to a point. But I think younger players should be encouraged to go overseas for a couple of years. Learn a new language, experience a new culture and be teammates with players from all over the world, some of who you’ll go up against in the future. If you stay your entire career in Ireland, you are in the same system with the same limited amount of exposure to players from elsewhere. Players who bring diffrent skills, mindsets, habits, training routines etc. Our players should be encouraged to go out and bring some new ideas back into Irish rugby.

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    Mute Ordinary lad
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    Feb 2nd 2021, 11:26 AM

    Articles like this lend to the old adage that ‘rugby is for the fat oafs who can’t get on the football team’.

    Not singling out Zebo as he was by all accounts a talented soccer player and hurler … but come on … In the soccer world its something you’d master at 10 years of age or else …. but for the rugby unskilled this is something out of this world.

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    Mute Summer Bay Devil
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    Feb 2nd 2021, 12:10 PM

    @Ordinary lad: You’re assuming that everybody wants to play, or even like soccer in the first place for your comment to be accurate.

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    Mute Rudiger McMonihan
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    Feb 2nd 2021, 1:26 PM

    @Ordinary lad: that’s because it is a soccer skill. You would almost never need to do that in rugby. I dont think I’ve ever been in a position on a rugby pitch where such a skill would have benefitted me. It would be like football players lifting a goal keeper, like you would in a lineout, to catch a ball that was going over him. It’s a standard enough skill in rugby, but if footballers pulled it off out of nowhere people would think it was amazing.

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    Mute Ricky Wright
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    Feb 2nd 2021, 1:53 PM

    @Ordinary lad: lol. What a funny post. How could this be something you master in soccer? Do footballers chip an oval ball into their hands on the run? I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone do that

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