Simon Zebo: ‘I came into Munster with a bang and I’d like to go out with a bang’

We have been down this road many times in the past, sitting across from a player who has just announced their retirement – and while you can often sense the torment over their decision, true to form, Zebo is a picture of serene calm as he spends the next 20 minutes breezily reflecting on the last 14 years.

There are plenty of laughs and jokes, but most importantly, Zebo’s deep sense of pride shines through as he gets set to bow out on his own terms having spent his entire career dancing to the beat of his own drum.

At 34, Zebo is playing some of his best rugby, but the body is no longer playing ball like it used to. Nowadays, it’s all about trying to get through the training week as well as possible before doing what he does best at the weekend.

“At the start of the season, in my head, I was like if I can get back to playing consecutive matches and finish on a high, that’s the way I’d like to go out,” Zebo says.

​“I’ve always said 34 would be a good age because that’s when Dougie Howlett retired and he was a big hero of mine.

“I was like, ‘Why are you retiring now, Dougie?’ And he was like, ‘When you know, you know’. Coming into this season, I knew it was going to be my last.

“It’s nice that I am playing well and showing that I still have it, but I think it’s the right time to call it. I don’t need to be the 35/36-year-old full-back who is not involved or coming off the bench and my body is letting me down and just kinda be fading out.

“I came in with a bang and I’d like to go out with a bang. Playing well and healthy, and that’s the way I’m going.”

There are absolutely no doubts in Zebo’s head that retiring at the end of the season is the right decision, but with what he hopes will be a run of three more games in the URC play-offs, starting with Friday night’s quarter-final against the Ospreys at Thomond Park, there is another trophy to win before he rides off into the sunset.

Many people feel that Zebo should have won more than 35 Ireland caps – he is not shy in admitting he shares that view – but he has no regrets about the hand he was dealt. He even believes things would have been “completely different” had Andy Farrell been head coach when he was in his prime.

“It’s a hard one, yeah; it doesn’t linger with me, no. I would have loved to [have played more], but it is what it is.

“You see how Mack Hansen behaves, other people, and they’re totally comfortable and at ease. I was doing that when it was different, let’s just say that!

“It’s funny, I love Andy and I’ve always loved working with him, all the way back to the Lions, and I would have loved to have had more time with him.”

Today's Sports News in 90 Seconds - 5th June

Zebo already has plans for the next stage of his life, with business interests and a punditry career on the horizon for a man who was born to be on camera, whether that was on the pitch or in a television studio.

“I have always been incredibly confident and had self-belief,” Zebo smiles. “Since playing rugby in Pres, I made a decision then that I wanted to be a professional rugby player.

“I would have visualised and pictured myself a lot, going to sleep at night the only thing I would have thought about would be watching highlights of ROG and Paulie [O’Connell], playing in Champions Cup games, playing for Ireland.

“I have always put myself into that scenario – so when those moments came, it wasn’t a huge shock to me. I never limited myself to anything or ability to play at any level. But at the same time, the journey has been incredible.

“In the old days, I would have been getting a few queer looks from [Ronan] O’Gara, [Paul] O’Connell, John Hayes, Alan Quinlan, the list goes on and on. But after a few months training they see that’s how you operate and they see my ability and then they’re like, ‘OK’. There’s no judging.”

For now, it’s all about extending the journey for another three weeks by making it to the URC final, with Zebo relishing the fact that his kids are now at an age where they understand their dad’s unique job, which will soon come to an end.

He knows that he will never be able to replace the buzz of hearing the Thomond Park faithful chanting his name, but rather than dwell on it, Zebo is keen to savour the time he has left in the red jersey.

“It’s incredibly special and since we came back here [from Racing 92] and the kids are in the stand and they hear the ‘Zebo’ chants going,” he adds.

“My wife records them sometimes, but it’s goosebumps for me, so I can only imagine what it’s like for them. It’s incredibly special and it’s one of the highlights of my career, for sure, if not the biggest highlight, my children [being] able to witness their dad still playing.

“It’s hard to describe; there’s such an energy there when I get the ball or when something happens – like little interactions with kids or people on the sideline. It’s just so special and I think the crowd can tell how much it spurs me on and how much it gives me energy.

“That feeling is like a drug, it’s incredible. It makes me want to do something every time I get the ball.

“It’s hard to really get it unless you’re in my shoes because… wow. Yeah, I’ll miss Thomond Park a lot, for sure.”