Zebo happy to share the limelight

AS entrances go, Simon Zebo could barely have made a better impression if he had been wearing top hat and tails.

A Heineken Cup hat-trick of tries in just his fourth appearance in the competition is quite the introduction and Zebo has now let the rest of Europe in on Munster’s best-kept secret.

Zebo has long been earmarked by the Munster coaches to do something special in the province’s red jersey, it was just a matter of when the Cork Constitution winger would get his opportunity. Doug Howlett’s season-ending injury in away win over Castres in round two presented the 21-year-old with his chance and after an encouraging Heineken Cup debut at Scarlets in the following round, the deceptively quick wing has kept his place in Tony McGahan’s line-up and steadily grown into his new role despite the backline he joined coming under pressure for the try-scoring opportunities it had been wasting.

Saturday night in Milton Keynes changed all that as the Northampton Saints were ripped apart by a backline for which everything finally fell into place, and though Zebo did his fair share in finishing off a fine move for his first try, converting an interception into five points for the second and again applying that killer instinct to his third, the rookie was showing no signs of seeking the glory for his man of the match performance.

“We’ve been working real hard on finishing off moves and chances that we’ve been getting in games,” Zebo said. “It’s good to get on the scoreboard but the offloads of the (Lifeimi) Mafis and Denis Hurleys, the play-making of Rog (Ronan O’Gara), makes it easier for me to score those tries. It’s nice to get on the scoresheet but credit has to go to the boys inside me.”

Zebo was more than just a finisher, though, with his work at the restarts and for kick-chases in general helping to provide an instant response to a first-half Ryan Lamb drop goal when pressurising Phil Dowson into a turnover from which BJ Botha scored Munster’s opening try and turned the momentum in the visitors’ favour.

It was the tries, however, that resulted in chants of “Ze-bo!” ringing around stadium:MK on Saturday night as more than 2,000 Munster fans made themselves heard.

“We always have great support with Munster. I suppose a lot of them haven’t really seen me play and so when they get the chance to chant my name, they probably would. I’m happy.”

Zebo’s work-rate has not gone unnoticed in the Munster camp, with Paul O’Connell, sitting beside Zebo during his post-match press conference, impressed by the young wing since he replaced Howlett.

“He has big boots to fill coming in for Dougie but he has obviously learnt a lot from him,” O’Connell said. “I suppose a lot will be said about his three tries but I don’t know if much will be said about his kick-chase which was a big thing for us I think in two tries. He’s going great and seems to be enjoying it as well.”