Rassie: Zebo cried, he’s one of our friends. But he’d be stupid not to take up the offer

Rassie Erasmus believes Simon Zebo would have been stupid not to take the money on offer to him in France and that the Irish provinces must resign themselves to losing more talented, homegrown stars in the future.

Despite the disappointment of losing an Irish player with genuine X-factor, the outgoing Munster director of rugby says Zebo will leave his home province at the end of the season with the blessing of coaches and team-mates after receiving an offer, understood to be from Racing 92, that he believes will net the full-back three times the salary he would receive by staying in Ireland.

“We’re disappointed but I have to take it like any other job. In any other job if you get a massive offer like that and you can look after your family..,” Erasmus said, following last Friday’s narrow loss at Connacht.