All a player wants is a chance to atone...

Today will be a test of Simon Zebo’s strength of character. As a travelling member of the Irish party heading to Scotland, he must accept the fact his weekend will be spent in a suit, writes Ronan O’Gara.

Tommy O’Donnell and Zebo make the trip to Edinburgh, but are not involved in the 23-man match-day squad. That’s hard for Zebo to swallow. With Jack McGrath and Cian Healy both certain to be involved anyway, Zebo’s exclusion sticks out like a sore thumb, not just from the XV but from the 23.

He’s been hard done by. Whatever way it’s dressed up, he’s the fall guy for the Welsh defeat and that’s hard to justify. He was one of the best three players in Ireland’s victory over England and it’s not that he was the standout poor performer in Cardiff either.