THREE days before St Patrick’s Day, USA Rugby posted a video online to promote their summer Test against Ireland. It was a slowburner for six weeks but eventually went viral.
Although it was generally well received, the union copped its fair share of abuse for featuring an actor, dressed up as an leprechaun, heckling American captain Todd Clever. Two weeks ago, it posted a new video that was sadly missing the flanker-poking leprechaun.
This is the original:
YouTube credit: USA Rugby
One player that was impressed with the pre-match promo was Ireland winger Simon Zebo. He told TheScore.ie that, for a moment, he suspected the video featured an Ulster scrumhalf in disguise.
“I saw that video, ” he said. “It was quite funny. I thought Paul Marshall was in the video there for a few minutes but, turns out, he wasn’t.”
Mistaken identity: Goading leprechaun and Paul Marshall. (Credits: USA Rugby & ©INPHO/Billy Stickland)
Zebo added, “The US team are constantly evolving and getting better. I don’t think there was much intended to cause us offence in that video. It’s just a bit of fun as well I suppose.”
Having tweeted a picture, on Monday, of new Ireland captain dozing in the passenger side on the drive up to squad training at Carton House, Zebo remarked that he will keep his Munster teammate grounded this summer.
He said, “Peter forced me to drive – he’s getting a bit big for his boots now that he’s got the news that he’s skipper. Ah, he’s great fun, chat and great conversation in the car on drives. I thought I’d put up a picture to show how much craic he was.”
