Latest news with #Zebo
The Irish Sun
7 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Leinster mascot hilariously ambushes former Munster star Simon Zebo live on air after URC Grand final
FORMER Munster star Simon Zebo has never hidden his feelings about Leinster. So when Advertisement 2 Leo the Lion ambushed Simon Zebo live on Premier Sports Credit: PREMIER SPORT 2 The hilarious moment came after Leinster won the URC final Leinster handed the Bulls some payback after two prior URC knockout defeats with a The win was their first piece of silverware in four years, and the celebrations came thick and fast on the pitch and in the Premier Sports pitch side booth. Former Munster ace Zebo, who was on punditry duty, could barely hide his dismay as his old rivals lifted the URC trophy. He sarcastically said: 'I am... over the moon, as you can see!' Advertisement READ MORE ON RUGBY Seconds later, a simple mutter of 'oh no' revealed even more. Then came the ambush. Leinster mascot Leo the Lion jumped on Zebo live on air, a moment that had his fellow pundits in stitches. Though the cameras missed the leap itself, the aftermath was captured perfectly. Advertisement Most read in Rugby Union Breaking Zebo laughed before cracking a smile: 'Get off me. I was going to give him a left hook into the head!' Speaking post-match, Zebo admitted Leinster deserved the triumph. 'Big weekend' - Peter O'Mahony embarking on hectic gardening project as he aims to add '300 plants' He added: '[I was] talking to Schalk Brits up there during the game. 'This has Jacques Nienaber's fingerprints all over it. Where the Bulls are strong, that's where we're going to go after. Advertisement 'They went after the maul, they went after the scrum. Kicking contest, Leinster were by far the better side. "It's a ballsy performance but a lot of credit has to go to Leinster, they performed really well.'
Irish Daily Mirror
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Simon Zebo: Leinster's new siege mentality and 'arrogant' approach of the past
Simon Zebo claims arrogance is part of the reason why Leinster are desperate to break a four-year wait for silverware on former Munster and Ireland star doesn't believe that the Blues are over their Champions Cup hangover, despite looking more focused against Glasgow in the URC semi-final last he believes the siege mentality that the province has projected since their unconvincing URC quarter-final victory over Scarlets can work in their favour in the Grand Final showdown with the Bulls at Croke 2021 URC decider was the last time that Leo Cullen's charges lifted a trophy. Since then, they have come so close in the Champions Cup but fell short in two finals and two semi-finals, and that has fed into their failure to reach the URC final until now. "A bit of it would be mental," said former Munster and Ireland star Zebo. "There were a few selection calls in the past. When Munster beat them in that semi-final (in 2023), they rested a lot of the bigger players and it was a very weakened team. "There were a couple of little arrogant things through selection. But when they're fully loaded, they're an incredible team. It's a bit of a headache. Now those players have to play three games back to back to back. "Will the third one sting them? I don't know. They usually rotate quite a lot. It's not all mental, but it's part of it for sure." Speaking after last weekend's semi-final win over Glasgow, Joe McCarthy claimed 'everyone loves to hate Leinster so that definitely drives us on'. Zebo believes such a mindset could benefit Leinster after a succession of play-off failures. "They're probably out to prove people wrong and that will probably help," he said."Their previous mentality hasn't worked so I suppose going in with a fresh mindset, maybe Jack Nienaber might have had some insight there, he's a brilliant motivator and gets the players going."I don't like Leinster, just because they're rivals. Munster dislike them and they dislike Munster, that's no problem. It's like Barcelona and Real Madrid in soccer. Of course you don't like your rivals - but I don't think the general public hate Leinster as much as maybe they believe inside the camp. I don't know, maybe I'm wrong."However Zebo does believe opposition coaches are right to mention the gulf that exists between their clubs and Leinster in terms of finance and resources."There's 15 internationals or maybe more, I don't know how many internationals they have," said the former Ireland star. "They have 12 Lions, the biggest representation ever. They have loads of money, they have private schools. They have everything. "They have a different mindset to other teams who are backs against the wall and underdogs and stuff. I can see why other coaches (say that). "They are favourites in nearly every game for a reason, you know. They have a class team, class players. So yeah, they're not hated - but people want to see the underdogs win and they're never the underdogs."For many, Leinster's 37-19 victory over the defending champions last week was a welcome return to normality after their Champions Cup disappointment. Zebo doesn't agree that the hangover is over. "No, I thought Glasgow were poor," he stressed. "I thought Leinster were good without being great. The Bulls will be very different."I felt Leinster did up their game and Glasgow weren't as good as I thought they would be. Again, the Bulls will definitely be better. Whether or not they win I don't know, but I'm not convinced yet. "I don't think the performances since Northampton from Leinster and those 12 Lions were back to their best rugby. Not yet anyway, but they are all capable of doing that.'When the final is over, the Lions dozen will turn their thoughts to touring - and that initial game against Argentina at the Aviva Stadium."If they were able to win collectively and get the first title over the Bulls, then they'd be walking with a little bit of a swagger into camp as opposed to being on the edge," said Zebo, who toured in 2013 when the Lions were last in Australia."It would boost their confidence a bit but there's other confident lads there too. There's top operators across the board, not just that Leinster contingent. 'For sure it will definitely help the confidence and the momentum, especially with the Lions core being Irish-heavy. If those lads perform and pick up the URC that will bring a lot of confidence back and it will bode well for the squad as a whole. 'So it is a pretty important fixture this week. There is a lot of pressure on Leinster and looking down the line at the Lions and form and getting picked then this match has huge significance, for sure.'
Irish Examiner
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Simon Zebo: Leinster's URC final has big role to play in larger Lions picture
Simon Zebo believes Leinster's experience in this Saturday's BKT URC final at Croke Park will have 'huge significance', both for them and for the entire British and Irish Lions squad, later in the summer. Andy Farrell broke the record for representatives from one club when choosing so many boys in blue for the trip Down Under, but the province as a whole has flattered to deceive yet again at the tail end of a campaign. A Champions Cup semi-final loss to Northampton Saints, bad in its own right, was followed by an obvious hangover in URC ties against Glasgow and Scarlets, before signs of an upswing against the Warriors last week. Farrell will be heavily invested as he watches them take on the Bulls in Croke Park. 'For sure, it will definitely help the confidence and the momentum, especially with the Lions core being Irish-heavy. If those lads perform and pick up the URC, that will bring a lot of confidence back and it will bode well for the squad as a whole. 'So it is a pretty important fixture this week,' Zebo agreed. 'There is a lot of pressure on Leinster and, looking down the line at the Lions and form and getting picked, then this match has huge significance, for sure.' The 37-19 defeat of the Scots at the Aviva Stadium last weekend will have come as some relief to the club's supporters. Leinster claimed six tries against Franco Smith's side and were much more comfortable than that scoreline suggests. And yet. Zebo was in Ballsbridge working on the game for Premier Sports and he watched the second-semi-final between the Bulls and the Sharks in full immediately after. He has no doubt that Leinster aren't humming again yet. 'No. I thought Glasgow were poor. I thought Leinster were good without being great. The Bulls will be very different, but I said that after the Scarlets. I felt Leinster did up their game and Glasgow weren't as good as I thought they would be. 'Again, the Bulls will definitely be better. Whether or not [Leinster] win I don't know but I am not convinced yet. I don't think the performances since Northampton from Leinster and those 12 Lions has been back to their best rugby. 'Not yet anyway, but they are all capable of doing that.' The Lions context aside, this is a huge game for Leo Cullen, his team and the organization at large given the recent history of defeats in big knockout games since winning their last trophy – the last ever PRO14 title – in 2021. Zebo agrees that some of their deficiencies have been mental but added that there 'were a couple of little arrogant things through selection' in there too, most obviously when they rotated so heavily for a URC semi-final against Munster two years ago. Backs are clearly against the wall in the capital. Joe McCarthy all but admitted as much when he spoke to RTÉ after the semi-final and put it out there that everyone hated Leinster. The old siege mentality approach. 'They're probably out to prove people wrong and that will probably help. Their previous mentality hasn't worked so I suppose going in with a fresh mindset, maybe Jacques Nienaber might have had some insight there. 'He's a brilliant motivator and gets the players going. I don't like Leinster, just because they're rivals, so you know what I mean? Munster dislike them and they dislike Munster, that's no problem. It's like Barcelona and Real Madrid in soccer. "Of course you don't like your rivals, but I don't think the general public hate Leinster as much as maybe they believe inside camp. I don't know, maybe I'm wrong.' As for his own province, Munster will have just one player on tour in Australia this summer in Tadhg Beirne. It is the province's lowest representation since the 1997 series win in South Africa. Something to think about before the 2029 trip to New Zealand. 'Individual ambitions for the players? Absolutely. I know Craig Casey would be one of those expecting to go on that next Lions tour. With his form he could have potentially gone on this tour. You have Jack Crowley potentially in the same boat. 'You have someone like Calvin Nash who wants to break back onto the international scene and potentially go on a Lions tour. Then people like Alex Kendellen and Tom Ahern: there could potentially be a big swing in representation from this tour to the next.' Simon Zebo teamed up with BoyleSports to preview the British & Irish Lions Tour. BoyleSports will Pay Out Early if either side goes 17 points ahead at any stage.
Miami Herald
15-05-2025
- General
- Miami Herald
‘Heartbroken' dog returned to shelter because family ‘didn't have time for her'
While kennel stress can be gut-wrenching for any surrendered pet, it's hitting one dog in a soul-shattering way at an Indiana shelter. Stella, a terrier and pit bull mix, is hanging on by a thread at the Humane Society for Hamilton County in Fishers after being bounced around nearly her entire life. 'Transferred to us from an overcrowded shelter. Adopted - then returned after just two days because of separation anxiety,' the shelter said in a May 14 Facebook post. 'Adopted again - and after three years of love, returned once more … because her family 'didn't have time for her.'' Turns out, Stella's owner had a 'demanding new job' that left no time for Stella and her sibling Zebo, the pup's pet profile says. 'Now she's back in the shelter. Confused. Heartbroken. And after 225 days, still waiting for someone to see her,' the shelter continued. Stella, with her soulful eyes and gentle heart, is a once-in-a-lifetime sort of dog who loves without judgment. 'Stella has a heart full of love and a lifetime of devotion to give. She's housebroken and wonderful with kids of all ages,' her pet profile says. 'Stella thrives with confident people and loves her family fiercely. She's protective, barking at unfamiliar faces, but with patience and reassurance, she warms up beautifully to those who approach her with confidence.' But because shelter stress has her in a chokehold, she is 'one of the 12 animals in critical emotional decline' at the shelter. 'She can't wait any longer,' the shelter said. Even though she suffered with separation anxiety, when paired up with her dog sibling, she was able to overcome it. 'Her previous family got her a dog companion to help with her separation anxiety, and it worked,' her profile says. 'Stella loved having a friend by her side, and the two balanced each other perfectly. While she's reactive to dogs outside of her home, she shines when she's surrounded by people who make her feel safe and loved.' For more information about Stella, visit the shelter's website. Fishers is a 20-mile drive northeast from downtown Indianapolis.
