Forgotten man Zebo still has a part to play

Munster… 29

Toulon… 18

There was a time I was bitterly disappointed with Simon Zebo. As a rugby fan first off. Because his decision to go and play his club fare in France meant he was (wrongly) automatically excluded from the Irish setup.

Also, mind you, because loyalty is one of the qualities held dearest by the occupant of this seat and the thought of people turning their back on their own pi**** me off no end. Conversely, though, it is wholly understandable in certain circumstances. When one is no longer valued among kinfolk and can actually sense it. A feeling all too familiar here.

Thus, I can empathise with Zebo’s inclination that far away fields might indeed have been greener. Similar feelings abide here with upsetting regularity here. In the case of the mercurial utility back, because he slipped behind Andrew Conway (at the time) and Mike Haley and Shane Daly in the pecking order of full backs in Thomond Park.

For whatever reason, however, Zebo has curried favour with Graham Rowntree in recent weeks and, in their latest French expedition, the popular Cork man proved that while he may have become a forgotten man to some extent within Irish rugby he still has plenty to offer.

Melvin Jaminet scored twice from dead balls before Jack Crowley responded at the other end. However, once Alex Nankivell went over for Munster’s first try it gave the Red Army a lead they would never relinquish.

Their performance thereafter could be best described as the new red wave carrying on in the mould of those who gloriously went before them. Stickiing to the time-tested mantra To the brave and the faithful nothing is impossible

And duly going about proving as such. As firstly Zebo himself tagged on another five pointer, to be followed by one of the rapidly emerging stars, Tom Ahern, doing likewise.

Now, Munster confounding critics and expectations is nothing new. But, given prevailing player availability issues, the general feeling had been that the province were in a transitional phase and therefore expectations wouldn’t have been great.

Nonetheless, even though Toulon broke away for a converted try 15 minutes into the second half, Munster stayed true to form and, just as the match entered its final quarter, Calvin Nash got on the end of a gourmet crossfield kick from fly half Jack Crowley to run in the bonus point score.

Now, it’s not over garnishing the dish to suggest that the southern province themselves will be as surprised as anybody that they have all but made the knockout stages with games to spare.

What’s more, it would be fairly confidently predicted that expectations will never have been as low as they likely to be this time.

But then, remember that motto – nothing is impossible.