Relieved Murphy is ready to roar

LIONS full-back Geordan Murphy last night expressed his relief at avoiding a repeat of the nightmare scenario which wrecked his World Cup dream in 2003.

Murphy's running skills were expected to make him one of the stars of that tournament but the gifted Leicester full-back/threequarter was cruelly robbed of his chance before Ireland had even departed for Australia.

The 2003 Irish player of the year sustained a broken leg in a warm-up match against Scotland in September, forcing him out of the competition Down Under and into an intense period of rehabilitation.