Zebo gets Lions chance

When Simon Zebo hopped into an ice bath with his phone in his pocket on Friday, the young Irish rugby star wasn’t to know that the Lions would be trying to get through to him within 24 hours.

The director of operations for the Lions, Guy Richardson, instead managed to get in touch with Ireland manager Mick Kearney and when Zebo arrived back to the team hotel after Saturday evening’s 15-12 victory over the US Eagles, he was told the good news.

The Corkman left the US last night with a new found spring in his step having previously admitted to extreme disappointment at being left out of the tour Down Under. Now he intends to make the most of a chance that arose in unfortunate circumstances after Tommy Bowe broke a hand in Brisbane on Saturday.

“With such a great opportunity you don’t want to go over and just be another number,” Zebo said yesterday. “Hopefully if I get an opportunity I can go over and show what I can do.

“I’m absolutely over the moon. It is the best news I could ever have dreamed of. As a professional rugby player the ultimate goal is to be a British and Irish Lion. Hopefully I’ll get the chance to do that if I get my cap. That is something I have to work towards now.”

He agreed that there was encouragement to be taken from replacements who joined past tours, the likes of Simon Easterby arriving late in New Zealand in 2005 and John Hayes also receiving a cap after being added to the South African tour four years ago.

“It has been done by a lot of players. Tom Croft was another one. If I get an opportunity to start hopefully I will give them a reason to pick me again. Hopefully I can hit the ground running.”

Rumours circulated in Houston as soon as the Irish camp arose to news of Bowe’s misfortune but Zebo said he had enough on his plate with the task at hand.

“I just had to stay focused and keep myself away from it, just try and go out and play well (on Saturday night). We got the win which was very important to us.”

Interim coach Les Kiss said the whole squad was delighted for their departing team mate.

“It is fantastic for Simon to get that opportunity,” Kiss said. “He has had a good year. That injury came at the wrong time in the Six Nations. He was on fire and only had a handful of games since then. That was his first for five or six weeks tonight.

“The boys are absolutely wrapped for him. It is a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

Bringing Zebo into the tour is the sort of reward many felt he deserved after his breakthrough season.

“In November I was just glad I was given my shot. Glad I was able to take my opportunity at the time and get a start for the Six Nations as well and build on it from that.

“It was a big season as we had aspirations of winning a Heineken Cup and aspirations of winning a Six Nations with Ireland so there were a lot of players trying to play themselves onto the plane by doing well with their clubs and countries.”

Zebo had made veiled reference to his minor mishap and then admitted all on Saturday evening.

“I went into an ice bath after training with my phone in my pocket and then jumped into a pool. About five minutes later I realised my phone was in my pocket. Not the best timing,” he added.

Withdrawn with five minutes to go against the US, it was a muted performance with very little ball going his way.

“It was very tough in the end,” he admitted. “The first 20 minutes we were blowing a bit. We got into the groove but our backline never really got a chance to motor. They were putting in some huge hits. Peter O’Mahony got hit really hard. They got a few momentum builders but we were good enough to keep the scoreboard ticking. We were just happy to win, it is not an easy place to come.”