RTÉ rugby analyst Brent Pope believes that Simon Zebo may well be ruining his chances of playing at the 2019 World Cup with Ireland after it was confirmed he will leave Munster at the end of the season.
Munster announced yesterday that they have been unable to come to an agreement with Zebo over a new contract and that the 27-year-old is believed to be off to France next season.
Pau have shown interest in the Ireland international, while reports indicate that a switch to Racing 92 may well be the most likely move.
Pope was not surprised by the announcement and believes that the money being offered by French clubs is hard to turn down for many players.
Speaking to RTÉ Sport, he said: "I think that the indications are that he’s wanted to go for a couple of years. We heard rumours of it last year.
"The money that is being rumoured that is being paid out, you’re going to have players continuously leaving, that’s just the professional game unfortunately.
"They can’t compete with the pay-packets they’re offering in the likes of France, ironically neither can New Zealand, it’s just become a player drain now."
"[It’s a] huge loss because it’s not only their playing ability it’s what he brings to the team as far as, he seems to be a good guy, he seems to be one of those players that brings the camaraderie back into the team.
"Also he’s an iconic name in Munster rugby and Munster doesn’t have the player strength and depth that they can keep losing players like this. Donnacha Ryan last year, Zebo other players may follow.
"It’s getting very hard for it to be a level playing field anymore and I think that the top players are always going to be targets once they break onto the world scene like Zebo has."
France has become a popular destination for players in recent years, with huge amounts of money being pumped into the Top14.
Donnacha Ryan joined Ronan O’Gara at Racing 92 during the summer, while Johnny Sexton spent two seasons with the Parisian club before returning to Leinster.
While Sexton was able to keep his place in the Ireland squad during his time in France, Pope believes that he was a special case and that Zebo may find himself on the outside of the international set-up, along with the likes of Ian Madigan and Marty Moore.
"Jonny Sexton was such a key play-maker for Ireland that you couldn’t see how Ireland were going to progress without him," he said.
"I think that when it comes down to a toss of a coin between two players, one who’s based here and able to go and train and able to get a rest and one who goes to France, plays for the sugar daddies and is rolled out week in, week out, it’s a lot tougher.
"So I think that when it comes down to the flip of a coin for the selector to say, you got a guy who is playing well on these shores and you’ve got a player over in France or the UK, then they’re probably going to opt for that player who’s home based.
"The decision will be ultimately Joe Schmidt’s and he’s proved to be a ruthless decision maker when he want to be. If he wants Simon Zebo in the side, he’ll have him, I just don’t think it helps Zebo’s chances."
