Simon Zebo has sent the throb of Joe Schmidt's selection headache into pounding mode. If Rob Kearney's hamstring allows him to play next week against Scotland, Schmidt will have to drop the most eye-catching player on the Irish team.
The fullback debate between the two players has now intensified. Kearney is the reliable old hand and there is no braver player in the position; Zebo, as he demonstrated with his reverse offload to Jared Payne which triggered Ireland's best try for years, is squeezing hard.
What made him on Saturday was not only the flash, however. His statistics also put his name up on the leaderboard.
Zebo was the third highest ball-carrier on the pitch with 14 after CJ Stander (16) and Robbie Henshaw (15); and he made the second highest number of metres, 67 after Henshaw’s 72.
Critics of Zebo admire his ability but condemn him as occasionally flaky. Against Italy there was little sign of that as he worked hard to constantly stay near the action.
“Yeah, that’s what I was trying to do,” he said, a smile pulled across his face. “I was trying to get my hands on the ball as much as possible and trying to impact the game. It felt a bit quiet in the second half for the first 20 or so – everything seemed to be going the opposite way for me. But it was a fast game, I enjoyed it.
“We were in the groove, in the zone a bit today. Every attacking option we called seemed to be working out there and getting gainline. We went out there with a positive mind-set and I think it showed in the end in terms of how we tried to play the game.
Put into space
“It was tough, it felt very fast. It was exciting, you know, out in the backline and everyone putting their hand up, looking for the ball, trying to put into space. It was great to be a part of it and it felt really exciting.”
On 25 minutes Zebo broke up the left, took contact and rolled around to present the ball. Yards gained. On 27 minutes he did the same up the middle. More yards.
On 40 minutes he ran between two Italian players on the right side of the pitch and made a reverse offload to Jared Payne, which triggered an Irish try.
On 61 minutes they tested him with a high ball. The Italian scrumhalf Guglielmo Palazzani, who made the punt, was injured and couldn’t chase it down but Zebo rose to take it confidently, the way Kearney does almost all the time.
It was as it looked from the sideline, a warm spring day of sun and tries, where the players enjoyed themselves.
“It felt like one of those days, it felt like the first time in a while where we were properly enjoying ourselves out there,” said Zebo. “Maybe that was down to the weather, but it was an exciting day to be a part of and everyone out there was playing with a high tempo and a smile on their face. I think we were really dangerous at times and it shows.”
Whether it’s Kearney or Zebo, it’s Stuart Hogg next weekend, a Scottish fullback with a similarly attacking mindset. Zebo hopes to be lining out again. He has played himself into contention but with almost 70 caps, Kearney’s qualities are known and liked by Schmidt.
Lions tour
“He’s a very good player, he’s exciting,” said Zebo of Hogg. “I spent time with him on the Lions tour so I know him a bit better than most. He’s a quality player, he’s a good friend and it would be nice to line out against him. I haven’t done it in a while.
“He plays heads-up rugby and he’s got a lot of pace. He’s very dangerous and every time he gets the ball he seems to get gainline, so he’ll be someone that we’ll be trying to nullify next week.”
Pleased with his shift, Zebo has moved to make fullback one of the most contentious positions on the Irish team.
