Zebo hasn’t given up hope of Ireland call

Racing 92-bound Simon Zebo is not giving up hope of being called up by Joe Schmidt for next month’s Six Nations Championship.

The Munster wing, named to face the club he will join this summer when the Champions Cup Pool 4 rivals meet in Paris tomorrow, was omitted by head coach Schmidt from the Ireland squad for last November’s Guinness Series.

That came a week after Zebo had announced his intention to leave his home province at the end of the current season. Players choosing to move abroad have been left under no illusions by Schmidt that they are putting themselves at a disadvantage compared with Irish-based players in terms of selection for the national team, having taken themselves out of the IRFU player welfare programme.