The past was yours but the future’s mine.
It’s hard to see where Munster stand in the European picture right now. Saracens are the gold standard. They are the past and they are the present.
Five Champions Cup semi finals in a row. They are going for three consecutive title triumphs. They are going for the double double.
Munster were the past but they’re not there yet. All the can do this evening is look to the future.
Simon Zebo lingered at the fringes as Munster circled the Aviva Stadium pitch and applauded their 47,000 [give or take a few] fans that had urged them on to futile avail.
His son, Jacob, went for a wander down the left touchline – gaining at least 10 metres – before he was scooped up.
Back in February, Zebo told us he would “one day” move to France to play rugby. He is signed up with his home province until 2018, at least, but he must have reflected on another season done without a European Cup to show for it. That’s the benchmark for Munster, and Zebo.
Following the match, Zebo and CJ Stander sat on either side of Rassie Erasmus and were asked to reflect on where Munster are in relation to a formidable Saracens side.
His words were poignant. They were perfect.
“I think we’re at the start of a period together with this new squad we have and we’re very excited.
“Today was really, really disappointing and hard to take, as of now, but we know that there’s a bright future with this squad. We said it on the pitch there afterwards that we weren’t going to let this be the full-stop and we’re really going to drive on as a collective and make sure our future is bright.”
Zebo added, “There’s still a lot to play for in the season. Our goal at the start of the season was to be fighting for titles come the end of it. We were one step away from it [a final] today but we’re still in with a fighting chance of winning silverware at the end of it.”
On Wednesday, Zebo was one of the biggest casualties when Warren Gatland named his British & Irish Lions squad. It hurt like hell but he took it like a champion and focused on the greatest gift he has in this world – his family.
This afternoon, that hurt returned and it won’t go away soon.
He was lucky to have young Jacob on hand as a reminder of what life has given him.
Today was not a full stop.
