Simon Zebo pays tribute as ultimate squad player finally gets rewarded

Guess who's back?

The last time Craig Gilroy lined out in a Six Nations game, Declan Kidney was Ireland coach, Brian O'Driscoll was yellow-carded for a stamp and Italy won 22-15. It has been four years since the Ulster winger had the honour and as much as some things change - Peter O'Mahony hasn't played on the wing since - some things have not changed a bit - Paddy Jackson starts at 10 but everyone is talking about Johnny Sexton. Gilroy was one of the positives from Kidney's fifth and final Six Nations where, in some dire symmetry, Ireland finished fifth after an injury-ravaged campaign. https://youtu.be/ux8cA8QM3WE Joe Schmidt arrived later that year and it looked, for all money, that Gilroy [then with two tries in five appearances] would kick on to be a big part of Ireland's future. The 25-year-old has only played four times in the three and a half years under Schmidt. It was suspected that Gilroy's defensive game was not up to scratch for the Ireland boss but the fact that he has been in camp so often would suggest he sees something in him. The winger has often been called upon to be Ireland's 24th man. According to members of the Ireland squad, he has never once cribbed, moaned or delivered anything but his best in training or the warm-up drills. Gilroy may have feared that he would not get a look-in when he missed out on the entire squad for the Scotland game and was not even asked to travel to Edinburgh but, on Thursday, he was named on the bench in the match-day 23 to face Italy. Simon Zebo, who starts on the left wing this weekend, said:

"Craig is an excellent guy and an unbelievable talent. He's been unlucky not to be involved in some squads. He has a serious strike-rate for Ulster [48 tries in 146 games] and has such a game-breaking ability. "Off the pitch, he is one of my better friends up here. He's an absolute gent and he adds a lot to the squad. He's a real positive person to have about the place. He's great and hopefully he gets his chance this week." 

Italy put in a very Italian Six Nations performance last weekend in their home defeat to Wales - 60 minutes of supreme effort followed by 20 minutes of ill discipline and leaked tries. Ireland will be seeking a win first but with the try-scoring bonus point on their mind. There are few better men than Gilroy to spring from the bench in the final 20.