Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

sprucemoose

Podge_irl wrote: »

Well that's also questionable to be honest. He played no part in the 2014 6N win and didn't play on Super Saturday in 2015.

He was simply never a key cog in Ireland's game. Which is fine, most players aren't.

injured in 2014, played the rest of the 6N in 2015 and was dropped against scotland (inexplicably, happened in the rwc that year too)

Podge_irl

sprucemoose wrote: »

injured in 2014, played the rest of the 6N in 2015 and was dropped against scotland (inexplicably, happened in the rwc that year too)

Why he wasn't playing isn't that relevant. It shows that Ireland were not consistently significantly better (or the system didn't work best) with Zebo in the team than not.

Former Former Former

sprucemoose wrote: »

injured in 2014,

No, he wasn't - he just wasn't picked. That was what kicked all of this off.

sprucemoose wrote: »

played the rest of the 6N in 2015 and was dropped against scotland (inexplicably, happened in the rwc that year too)

Inexplicable means 'cannot be explained' - the explanation was that Luke Fitzgerald was fit again for Scotland and all the back three players were fit again for the RWC. So they got picked. Zebo played the first four games of the 2015 6N because we had an injury crisis in the backs.

sprucemoose

Former Former Former wrote: »

No, he wasn't - he just wasn't picked. That was what kicked all of this off.

he was injured until mid-january and wasnt established enough at that stage to walk back into the team without game-time, which he did that summer

Former Former Former wrote: »

Inexplicable means 'cannot be explained' - the explanation was that Luke Fitzgerald was fit again for Scotland and all the back three players were fit again for the RWC. So they got picked. Zebo played the first four games of the 2015 6N because we had an injury crisis in the backs.

i stand by my original statement, a fit zebo who was playing very, very well and was in good form was dropped both times for a player returning from injury who had not really shown much form for a number of years?hard to explain the reasoning there

Teferi

sprucemoose wrote: »

not suggesting that, just saying the idea that he is lazy/not hard working etc and that DK/AT etc were better than him is simply not true

A variety of his team mates have all laughed about his lack of putting in the work in various interviews down the years, not least Conor Murray.

sprucemoose

Teferi wrote: »

A variety of his team mates have all laughed about his lack of putting in the work in various interviews down the years, not least Conor Murray.

one of his best friends taking the piss out of an unfair public misconception?shocking thought

sebdavis

Dubinusa wrote: »

So! Zebo is back! Will boards notice?
I'm glad he's back! The forums will be a total fcukstik.
The Lowe v Zebo v Stockdale debates will be so entertaining.
Meanwhile, Farrell must be lacking his chops. What will happen if none of the above make the cut? What if it's Conway, Larmour or Balacoune?

Imagine this
Next Ireland squad Zebo is announced.....Lowe & Zebo are in the squad
First match comes up and the decision is been made who to start on the wing




From nowhere
D Kearney swoops in for the 11 jersey

Still a chance for Zebo at 15







No
R. Kearney flys back in from Aus just to nail that 15 jersey his for ever and ever
Boards meltdown

Teferi

sprucemoose wrote: »

one of his best friends taking the piss out of an unfair public misconception?shocking thought

Incredible spin, well done.

Doesn't change the fact that his team mates have verified his lack of hard work.

sebdavis

Teferi wrote: »

Incredible spin, well done.

Doesn't change the fact that his team mates have verified his lack of hard work.

When did they say he lacked hard work?

Neil3030

Dave_The_Sheep wrote: »

Dave Kearney, tries in the Pro 14 (20/21): 8.
Simon Zebo, tries in the Pro 14 (20/21): 0.

Zebo couldn't even score on against Zebre this year. I mean, come on.

QED.

Quinny Envies this Deduction? :pac:

Teferi

sebdavis wrote: »

When did they say he lacked hard work?

A variety of his team mates have all laughed about his lack of putting in the work in various interviews down the years.

sprucemoose

Teferi wrote: »

A variety of his team mates have all laughed about his lack of putting in the work in various interviews down the years.

exactly, i've already explained why that has to be taken with a pinch of salt. O Gara has repeatedly said recently he'll be a massive asset to munster. apart from the bizarre and unlikely possibility that hes spreading misinformation for la rochelle's benefit, i'd take that as being more of an accurate statement

sebdavis

Teferi wrote: »

A variety of his team mates have all laughed about his lack of putting in the work in various interviews down the years.

Really? I never heard any....
Most have said he is a great person to have around the squad

Teferi

sprucemoose wrote: »

exactly, i've already explained why that has to be taken with a pinch of salt. O Gara has repeatedly said recently he'll be a massive asset to munster. apart from the bizarre and unlikely possibility that hes spreading misinformation for la rochelle's benefit, i'd take that as being more of an accurate statement

You're moving goalposts.

You stated that it simply isn't true that he isn't hard working. His own team mates have joked about the opposite.

sebdavis

Teferi wrote: »

You're moving goalposts.

You stated that it simply isn't true that he isn't hard working. His own team mates have joked about the opposite.

Has any of his coach's come out at any stage and said he isn't hard working? any of the numerous coachs etc? unless they have I don't think the point is relevant

molloyjh

sebdavis wrote: »

Has any of his coach's come out at any stage and said he isn't hard working? any of the numerous coachs etc? unless they have I don't think the point is relevant

Thats handy. Numerous people have said it, people who would know, but their opinion isn't relevant. Being able to dismiss relevant stuff as irrelevant is as Internet as it gets.

realhorrorshow

sebdavis wrote: »

Has any of his coach's come out at any stage and said he isn't hard working? any of the numerous coachs etc? unless they have I don't think the point is relevant

Jerry Flannery did on House of Rugby.

Louis Friend

The Zebo stuff is a parody at this stage.

Rob Kearney is one of the greatest Irish players of all time.

Simon Zebo is just a peripheral squad player who has a slightly higher profile than his achievements or talent warrant.

aloooof

Louis Friend wrote: »

Simon Zebo is just a peripheral squad player

Progress of a kind from your early posts at least....

Louis Friend wrote: »

He’s just an average provincial-level winger

But tbh, it's all a bit difficult to take seriously after you admitted the following:

Louis Friend wrote: »

Okay, I’ll admit it. My dislike for Simon Zebo is probably based on an unconscious bias and underlying discrimination.

He went to Pres and he’s from Cork, so I was never likely to be a fan.

Louis Friend

aloooof wrote: »

Progress of a kind from your early posts at least....



But tbh, it's all a bit difficult to take seriously after you admitted the following:

It was a joke...

sebdavis

molloyjh wrote: »

Thats handy. Numerous people have said it, people who would know, but their opinion isn't relevant. Being able to dismiss relevant stuff as irrelevant is as Internet as it gets.

My point, we have a lot of posts with not a single reference. Just "numerous people" have said this that others...I searched and found nothing on google

So unless someone can post a source from a coach of Zebo saying he is not hard working it seems like just gossip? would you not agree?

Teferi

sebdavis wrote: »

I searched and found nothing on google

You didn't search very hard.

In two seconds I found the following:

Keith Earls on Zebo:

He isn’t too bothered about weights or anything like that.

Here is an article discussing Joe Schmidt's requiring Zebo upping his work rate

At Joe Schmidt’s behest he appears to have upped his work-rate.

How would you like to move the goal posts this time?

Faugheen

Jesus, usually I'm the one to drag the Zebo chat to tiresome levels.

sebdavis

Teferi wrote: »

You didn't search very hard.

In two seconds I found the following:

Keith Earls on Zebo:



Here is an article discussing Joe Schmidt's requiring Zebo upping his work rate



How would you like to move the goal posts this time?

Article 1 behind pay wall.

Article 2 is from 2014, so are you saying after 2014 he was hard working?

Accusing everyone of "move the goal posts" really is not true?

Teferi

Right, you're clearly out of argument so I'll leave it there with you unless you come up with something decent. At the end of the day, Zebo isn't a high character individual and doesn't deserve the jersey. If I had the power, he'd never play in green again but, sadly, I think I'll have to watch him tarnish the jersey.

theVersatile

Teferi wrote: »

You didn't search very hard.

In two seconds I found the following:

Keith Earls on Zebo:



Here is an article discussing Joe Schmidt's requiring Zebo upping his work rate



How would you like to move the goal posts this time?

Snyman isn't fond of the gym either (per a video released by Munster after he did his ACL) but I certainly wouldn't categorise him as lazy

Teferi

theVersatile wrote: »

Snyman isn't fond of the gym either (per a video released by Munster after he did his ACL) but I certainly wouldn't categorise him as lazy

sebdavis

theVersatile wrote: »

Snyman isn't fond of the gym either (per a video released by Munster after he did his ACL) but I certainly wouldn't categorise him as lazy

Its ok, seemingly Zebo wasn't hard working in 2014, we are sorted now....it is 7 years later :P

AbusesToilets

sprucemoose wrote: »

he was injured until mid-january and wasnt established enough at that stage to walk back into the team without game-time, which he did that summer

i stand by my original statement, a fit zebo who was playing very, very well and was in good form was dropped both times for a player returning from injury who had not really shown much form for a number of years?hard to explain the reasoning there

Fitzgerald was a far better player than Zero, simple as that.

jm08

Teferi wrote: »

Right, you're clearly out of argument so I'll leave it there with you unless you come up with something decent. At the end of the day, Zebo isn't a high character individual and doesn't deserve the jersey. If I had the power, he'd never play in green again but, sadly, I think I'll have to watch him tarnish the jersey.

This is what Earls said about him:

Earls told Zebo that he didn’t like him when he first arrived on the Munster academy paddock. Too brash, too self-confident, too flamboyant, too not Munster. “He was devastated,” says Earls. “A lot of fellas would have found it tough. But jeez I love him now. It’s a good cockiness. He isn’t too bothered about weights or anything like that. He just loves rugby. You’d do anything for him.”

Thats a fairly decent endorsement from a fellow team member who actually knows him. As for not liking doing weights - Jerry Flannery and one or two others (maybe Cian Healy) are probably the only players who actually like doing them. It doesn't mean that he is lazy.