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What the tongue-in-cheek Sexton texted Ireland recall Simon Zebo

(Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Ireland skipper Johnny Sexton has revealed what he tongue-in-cheek sent Simon Zebo last week after he was recalled to the national team squad for the first time since 2017. Back three player Zebo fell out of the reckoning when he announced in October four years ago that he would be joining Racing 92 at the end of that season.    

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Joe Schmidt, the then Ireland coach, took the draconian decision to leave Zebo out of plans with immediate effect even though he was still at Munster for the November 2017 internationals and the following 2018 Grand Slam-winning Six Nations campaign.

Zebo, though, always believed he would eventually return to the Ireland fold and having since returned this season from France to play his club rugby again with Munster, he was included by Andy Farrell in the Test squad for the upcoming games versus Japan, New Zealand and Argentina. 

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Ex-England skipper Chris Robshaw guests on the RugbyPass Offload

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Ex-England skipper Chris Robshaw guests on the RugbyPass Offload

Veteran out-half Sexton is delighted to see his former colleague back in the mix, revealing he couldn’t resist having some fun last week at the expense of the 31-year-old who is now in line to add to his 35-cap haul after a four-and-a-half-year wait since a June 2017 outing versus Japan.

“I texted to congratulate him and I said it is great, we have needed an extra couple of bag holders and hopefully he can add to his five or six caps that he has,” quipped Sexton. 

“No, he is a great guy to have back. He is a great character, a great player and he is on form. Hopefully, he can come in and train well and get himself in the team because he is an asset when he is on form, that left boot and the way he attacks the line. We will be looking forward to having him back. We have missed him in the camp.”

Ireland’s headline game next month is the November 13 encounter in Dublin versus the All Blacks, an opposition they have defeated twice in the last five years. Sexton is naturally enthusiastic about that fixture but has warned that Japan, the other team that defeated Ireland at the 2019 World Cup, must be taken care of first on November 6. “It’s the same as you always get against the All Blacks, you are testing yourself against more often or not the No1 team in the world. 

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“They are No2 at the moment but they are playing pretty well so it will be a huge Test. For us, we have had some great performances since Andy has come in but it is that consistency that we need to get in our team now. We need to put in three big performances in a row and that is something we haven’t done so far. 

“We are pretty focused on getting out there and putting our best foot forward against Japan which will lead us well into New Zealand but all our focus is on Japan. We know more than anyone you have got to be on your game when you play against them.”

Sexton is just one appearance away from becoming an Ireland Test centurion at the age of 36. It would be a milestone he would cherish, but he is not taking anything for granted following a summer where he was overlooked for Lions selection. 

“It would be a very special day. When you get your first cap at 24 you never think you will get to 100 so it will be a special day for me and my family if it happens, but I have learned over the last year you never plan too far ahead. Let’s get training started, get out on the pitch and try and get in the team first.

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“Lots of small little things can make a difference,” he said about how he is managing to keep himself going at Test level in his mid-to-late 30s. “You try to improve year on year. Look, I have been by no means perfect with my injury profile over the last number of years but I am always trying to find ways to get better on that front and it is no different this year. I am feeling good at the moment. 

“I haven’t played a crazy amount of rugby over the last five months. I had a break over the summer and then eased back into it with Leinster over the course of the last five games and was involved at different stages. I am just looking forward to the series coming up. A lot of new faces in the Ireland camp as well. It is an exciting place to be.”

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J
JPM 45 minutes ago
Forget Ireland, the All Blacks face the real alpha of Europe next

Unfortunately you don't know anything about French rugby, coaches and players but still making a lot of assumptions and judgements to push your prefabricated and simplistic point of view that Dupont is manipulating everything and is a bad guy. I am not a NZ rugby specialist and wouldn't dare make such theories about what is going on within the ABs team. Therefore my advice to you is to do like Dupont and stay humble when you don't know all the background of the issues !!!


Firstly if you knew a bit of Galthié, he is not the type of coach who is going to ask advice to his players and even his captain about team selection. He is as stubborn as you...


Second Ramos has played a lot of times as 10 with Toulouse and therefore Dupont (in particular when Ntamack is injured and unfortunately it has often happened recently and for long periods). He even played 10 during the last 3 games of the 2024 6N and this was far better performance than the first two games with Jalibert as 10.


Thirdly Jalibert lacked of respect to a La Rochelle player so your theory is once again out.


Fourth as I explained to you Galthié went for a 6-2 bench and Jalibert can only play 10 which doesn't fit that plan. Furthermore as 15 Buros is better under high balls than Ramos and everybody is prepared for a tactical kicking game.


So you can blame Galthié for a lot of things (as you clearly enjoy doing at the end of your post and you should be very happy as an AB fan) but certainly not Dupont. Sorry once more for your conspiracy theory.


And don't worry about potential disharmony in the French team; they are excellent mates around their captain. Jalibert is well known in the French rugby circles to have not a strong character (and we saw that in the WC quarter finals as he is very nervous in any decisive international game unlike Ntamack and Ramos as for his late penalty kick vs England this year).


In conclusion enjoy the game tmrw night. It is good that the ABs are very upset; we should watch a great game of rugby. I hope for running rugby and not too much kicking. With 5 key players injured on our side (Ntamack, Baille, Atonio, Cros and Penaud) and 2 on your side I and various French fans see you as favourites. I obviously hope for another result.


If you are interested you can read a good article in the Guardian on the subject of France-NZ games.

92 Go to comments
K
KB 48 minutes ago
The 'one difference' between Boks and the back-to-back All Blacks

Consistency hasnt been there they have many great players SA were also not unbeaten in the 2023 WC - NZ were in 2015 WC McCaw and Carter Nonu and Smith - SA did not have those Marque players in those postions in 2019 or 2023 - I wouldnt rank them ahead of the 20I5 ABs - They clocked up 60 points against France in the QF - Furthermore I do not believe for one moment SA won 2023 fairly no way - they were so favoured it became obvious that behind the scenes SA the nation bought the title - Their last 3 matches were won by a solitary point there were many contentious decisions that went their way that it became obvious it wasnt coincidence - Sport has been hijacked by a satanic cult just as is Politics

Some players coaches officials and sponsors are involved - they know who they are - its called Freemasonry - any sport that allows betting is corrupt - its not all about money either for these parasites its also about control - Lots of American NFL players have spoken openly about games being scripted - Football is also rigged Referees have been caught on film showing freemason hand signs - The 95 RWC final ranks as the highest and most obvious attempt at cheating There was no way SA were going to allow NZ to gate crash Nelson Mandelas reunification party - NZ were so good they had to posion almost the entire team to get a 3 point win - a Hollywood Movie ( theres your Red Flag ) was made about SAs triumph called Invictus


William Henley wrote a poem called Invictus


It starts


Out of the night that covers me BLACK ( All Blacks ) as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever GODS maybe for my unconquerable Soul ...( Olan says INVICTUS is an evil Malevolent entity who corrupted the Titans ... this is Mandelas double meaning speech ( hes a fraud ) - of thanks for helping overcome SA's adversary NZ - There is only ONE true God Yahuah - Only a false god would be complicit in Cheating Corruption and Harming others to win a RWC for a sick and sinful Nation ) the poem ends with


I am the CAPTAIN of my soul


SA will forever bear the stain of guilt and disgrace over their involvement in poisoning the ABs a day before the 95 RWC Final

11 Go to comments
C
CO 1 hour ago
Forget Ireland, the All Blacks face the real alpha of Europe next

I cannot believe that you don't think the French rugby team coach and captain are not discussing putting Jalibert on the bench in favour of Duponts club teammate that doesn't even play at 10.


This is a terrible, massive insult to a 10 and I'm sure Dupont would also be very enraged if benched for a player that doesn't even play halfback.


A good captain would've insisted to the coach that it was an idea of madness and either select Jalibert or replace him with another 10 if you want him to be reserve.


Jalibert may not be the world's finest tacklers but that's often not a tens main strength that the loose forwards and second five cover. An intercept pass is never great but they happen.


When any player is playing for his club then it's club first, respect doesn't need to be shown to opposition players simply because they're internationals.


Who exactly are you claiming Jalibert hasn't respected? If it's Toulouse international players then it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this bench demotion out.


The outcome of selecting Jalibert to the bench and he then throwing his croissants out the window of the team bus immediately prior to playing the Allblacks is a disaster that will be team disharmony as any team mates of Jalibert are in a state of anger and revolt so a performance that will be sub optimal against a team that is thirsting for revenge against France.


I don't know about you but the Allblacks are very upset they've lost twice in a row to France and want to put out a statement performance so this preparation by Galthie of creating havoc looks to me like a coach that is clueless.

92 Go to comments
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