The Irish squad for the November Test window will be unveiled on Wednesday and Simon Zebo would not be human if he didn’t feel a twinge of sadness when his name is not included. But he also knew the fairly inevitable consequences of his move to Racing 92, and Saturday’s 44-12 win over Ulster also demonstrated the flipside of the coin.
Watching him dovetail ‘live’ with his kindred spirits, especially Finn Russell, made you appreciate that if Zebo could have handpicked an alternative home for the way he likes to play rugby, it would probably have been Racing 92. At the Arena where it never rains, they are given full rein to put on a show where the premium is very much on entertainment, however it is dressed up or blasted out in a venue without natural grass, light or – pretty much – noise.
He, his partner Elvira, and children Jacob and Sofia are happy out with their new life, and so is he with his nouveau rugby experience.
Nor is it just the rugby Zebo is enjoying in the French capital he knows from his youth and where his father grew up.
“Food has never been my strong point in terms of discipline but I wouldn’t change it for the world. I am the way I am, and I’m not going to change. I’m feeling good, I’m feeling fresh, my mind is fresh more so than anything, which means I have a little bit extra drive.
The Top 14 is on a par with Europe, while the memory of last season’s final is “definitely at the back of the players’ minds, especially when they probably shot themselves in the foot, if you look back on it. It is a final that got away from them”.
That Zebo stayed on the pitch against Ulster despite strapping to an injured left knee that had been causing him pain from the first half demonstrated how much playing against an Irish province (other than Munster) meant to him.
This additional motivation may have explained why he uncharacteristically pointed a finger at Michael Lowry before grounding the ball.
This game also showcased Zebo’s big left boot, and there were a couple of breaks, while he never lost the ball in contact, and the try was his seventh in seven games. It’s play what you see, and he says this is easy in tandem with Russell, labelled the X facteur to his Z facteur.
“There’s no shackles, there’s no fear, we’re able to do things. Just one call or one whisper on the pitch and it happens.
He’s found his home from home.