It wasn't wholly unexpected but it was still a sad moment this afternoon when Munster's Simon Zebo announced he will retire from pro rugby at the end of the current season.
Munster's leading try scorer of all-time, and Ireland's leading Champions Cup try scorer, Zebo has been a fan favourite ever since making his debut against Connacht in Galway in 2010.
As much as for his on-field exploits and brilliance, Zebo was an endlessly popular figure among the Irish rugby fanbase for his exuberant personality - something he exhibited regularly both on and off the field.
To mark his retirement, we've picked out five of the most uniquely Simon Zebo moments from his 14-year career.
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The top five funniest Simon Zebo moments
"Just wondering what's the story with the captaincy?"
There is but one place we could start.
As well as being capped 35 times for his country, Simon Zebo had the honour of becoming a Lion in 2013 - the year in which he won the IRUPA Supporters' Player of the Year. He made three appearances in the tour of Australia but there is no doubt what rugby fans remember most from his summer with the Lions.
In the first half of one of the touring games against the Rebels, Zebo shouted at fellow Munsterman Conor Murray to kick the ball out as the clock was in the red - only it wasn't, and there were 30 seconds left. When Murray turned around to see Zebo "giggling away" after an apparent prank, they both would have known that the fines committee would be called in.
Zebo's punishment forced him to call then-Munster coach Rob Penney and ask him for the captaincy for the coming season. What followed was one of the funniest rugby clips of all time.
Happy Birthday to the one true captain @SimonZebo 🦁#LionsRugby pic.twitter.com/3szzQwEhgK
— British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) March 16, 2021
This season's try of the year contender
Zebo's fun-loving character off the field was balanced by some exceptional moments on the pitch whichever jersey he was wearing.
That trademark exuberant character did show itself in the audacity of some of the moves he pulled on the pitch, something displayed as recently as last month's URC game against the Lions in Johannesburg.
With the ball loose, Zebo dribbled the ball soccer-style over a slate of sliding defenders, audaciously flicking the ball to avoid the (fully illegal) slide tackles. Ultimately he was denied a try-of-the-season contender by a cynical tackle, but was justly awarded a penalty try.
Mad sequence of rugby football here.
Simon Zebo somehow avoids a slide tackle with the deftest of flicks.
He was denied the highlight reel try by a cynical tackle, but at least he earned a penalty try.pic.twitter.com/2cGVCoKuQg— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) April 27, 2024
The brutal Craig Casey video
Simon Zebo left Munster in 2018 to join Racing 92, though it only took him three years to return to the province.
Since returning, the 34-year-old has struck up friendships with the younger members of the squad - none more so than Craig Casey, it seems.
Zebo's fellow Corkman is notably of a smaller stature than many of his teammates - something which Zebo has playfully poked fun at in a few hilarious social media videos.
🤣🤣🤣@CraigCasey9 🫱🏾🫲🏼🫶🏽 pic.twitter.com/KX2MPfOpsl
— Simon Zebo (@SimonZebo) January 20, 2023
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@simonzebo🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
That Wales heel flick
It's a shame that the move to Racing 92 stunted Zebo's career with Ireland, as he was a consistently entertaining performer during the latter stages of Declan Kidney's reign, and the early years of Joe Schmidt.
There's only one option for his most iconic moment in green, however, which came with another audcaious, uniquely Zebo moment of skill in the 2013 Six Nations opener against Wales in Cardiff.
Hard to believe this was eleven years ago. #thankyouzeebspic.twitter.com/eGT1RHV5ZL
— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) May 21, 2024
Pure class.
The stream of Jamie Heaslip TikToks
During his second spell at Munster, Zebo has become a regular on RTÉ's punditry for international rugby, where he appears alongside the likes of Stephen Ferris, Jerry Flannery, and Jamie Heaslip.
It is with his former Ireland teammate Heaslip that Zebo enjoys the most craic - mostly at the Leinster legend's expense.
In more than one TikTok, Zebo has ribbed Heaslip's co-ownership of the bougie Bridge Bar in Ballsbridge, Dublin 4. For his part, Heaslip has appeared to laugh along.
@simonzeboAnd were off 🛴🛴 🤣🤣♬ original sound - Simon Zebo
x
@simonzebo“Cmon Goys”🤣🤣♬ original sound - Simon Zebo
At least Simon Zebo's previous appearances on RTÉ's rugby coverage give us hope we'll still get plenty more exposure to his antics in the years to come. We wish him a happy retirement.
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