We can’t let this be a one-off, says Zebo

Momentum. Simon Zebo referenced it four times inside three minutes as he dissected Ireland’s defeat of South Africa over the weekend and it is a word that must resonate with many of his colleagues inside the Irish dressing-room, writes Brendan O'Brien.

Saturday’s win was the first over one of the southern hemisphere’s SANZAR behemoths since the surprise defeat of the Wallabies at the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

And few need reminding of the deflation that followed against Wales soon after.

Or the full litany of false dawns between 2010 and 2013.

“It will be massively important,” said Zebo of the next two weeks against Georgia and Australia. “It is all about momentum and we have got off to a great start. Everybody is very happy with that but, at the same time, there are two more games to go. We can’t let this be a one-off occasion where we go out and beat the second-best team in the world and then go and lose to two other sides. That isn’t good enough.

“We fully expect to put in our best performances and hopefully we will pick up two wins.”

There was encouragement on that score on Saturday night, not just in Zebo’s words, but in the scenes in the seconds after Romain Poite brought proceedings to an end.

The noticeable lack of celebrations from the home side was striking and it fit seamlessly into the post-match deliberations of Joe Schmidt and his players who clearly felt this was just another day at the office, albeit a very successful one.

“I suppose there is a lot of experience in the squad and the management have instilled a lot of belief,” said Zebo, “that we know what our goals are and we know how we are trying to play as a team. It is just great to be involved in such a great squad because the belief is there and there is an atmosphere where we believe anything is possible.”

It wasn’t the most memorable of games for a winger.

The conditions and tactics limited the opportunities on which men like the Munster man thrive, but Zebo clocked in for the spade work that Schmidt had identified as a weakness in his game and which led to his omission from the squad for most of last season.

“There wasn’t too much ball on the front foot. We probably didn’t hold onto it for long enough periods of time, but Johnny (Sexton) and Conor (Murray) and these boys directed us around the field well and directed the conditions well. We got some vital scores at some vital times and that was enough.

“When we did hold onto the ball we were able to get some momentum, but on a day like that when it is so wet and so greasy it was all about playing position. We made it a scrap and are just delighted with the win.”

The means may not have been pretty on the eye, but the end result made for very pretty reading on a weekend when both Wales and England conspired to let slip victories against Australia and New Zealand respectively.

Scotland did manage a notable win of their own over Argentina in their first competitive game under Clermont Auvergne’s former coach Vern Cotter, but Ireland’s success stood head and shoulders above all others.

“It was a massive game for us,” admitted Zebo. “They are just after beating the All Blacks and they have the class to beat anyone in the world, as they have just shown in their championship.

“The fact that we were able to put it up to them and get on the better side of the scoreboard was something we are very proud of and it will build momentum for us going into the Georgia and Australia games.”