Emotional return to Thomond Park for Ryan and Zebo

This Saturday Simon Zebo and Donnacha Ryan return home for the first time since leaving Munster as the Province welcome Racing 92 to Thomond Park.

Ryan is into his third season with the French club while Zebo joined him in Paris last season.

Tipperary native Ryan will be facing Munster for the third time this weekend but he has yet to take on his former side in Thomond Park.

Ryan was instrumental for Racing when they defeated Munster in the group stages of the 2017/18 Champions Cup in the Paris La Défense Arena before repeating the trick in the semi-finals in Bordeaux.

That defeat was Zebo’s last European appearance for the Province as he notched a try in the 27-22 defeat.

It is sure to be an emotional return for the pair who were both stalwarts in Munster prior to their departures.

The decision to leave Munster wouldn’t have come easy for either man with neither featuring for the Irish side since their move to France.

While Ryan has remained coy about his exclusion from the Irish set-up, Zebo has addressed the issue several times and has reopened the door after Joe Schmidt’s departure, highlighting his relationship with new Irish Head Coach Andy Farrell.

“I have a very good relationship with Andy. He might have a different view on players playing abroad than Joe and, if he decides to give me a call, I would of course look at coming back and being available for selection,” Zebo said in his column for Paddy Power.

Both players have faired excellently since their moves but have yet to collect any silverware with the French club.

Ryan was a part of the side that lost the 2018 Champions Cup final to Saracens.

He has become a mainstay of the side, starting each of their games this season including Sunday’s Champions Cup opener with Saracens.

Zebo has made a slow start to this season with the Irishman yet to get on the scoresheet.

However, his maiden season with the club was a hugely successful one for the full-back as had his best ever scoring season, notching 16 tries in all competitions with his best season in Munster delivering 11.

No doubt, playing in Thomond Park, should he be selected, will spark the Corkman into life.

The Munster that the players have returned to is a changed one with a completely new coaching set up.

World Cup winning manager Rassie Erasmus was in charge for Ryan’s final season, although Zebo did play under the tutelage of current Munster Head Coach Johann van Graan for a number of months.

However, the appointments of Stephen Larkham and Graham Rowntree this season have seen Munster’s approach altered slightly with various examples of a greater urgency in attack and willingness to spread the ball wide.

This was evident in Munster’s 32-13 win over the Ospreys last weekend with Jeremy Loughman’s performance a prime example as the prop scored and assisted on the night.

His inch perfect pass to Andrew Conway prior to his try was a prime example of Munster’s newfound attacking style which will be needed this Saturday against Ryan, Zebo and co.

The French giants were imperious in their Champions Cup opener as they put defending champions Saracens to the sword with a 30-10 win in Paris.

Ryan started the game while Zebo had to contend with a place on the bench as Racing matched Munster’s bonus point win from the previous night to move to the top of their Champions Cup pool.

This Saturday, two Munster legends return home with Munster fully aware of the threat that both men and their team provide.