Murphy set to be a star, says O’Driscoll

IRISH skipper Brian O’Driscoll believes Geordan Murphy could emerge as one of the stars of this year’s Six Nations.

First choice full-back Girvan Dempsey has to go through fitness tests in the coming days to confirm his place but if he fails, O'Driscoll is confident Murphy would be well capable of filling in.

He said: "It promises to be a really exciting competition and I'm sure stars will emerge from it.

"Keep an eye on Geordan Murphy. He has been very unfortunate with injuries since he came on the international scene.

"But if he is allowed to get an extended run, he could be a real star. He's got it all pace, flair and ability to carve open defences.

"Every time I have watched him for Leicester he has been brilliant. If he can consistently transfer that to the green jersey, it would be brilliant.

"Our record at Murrayfield is not good to say the least, so obviously we will be under pressure to put that right.

"Trips to Rome and Cardiff are not going to be easy either but if we want to go better than last season, we must get positive results from our away games as well as the home fixtures."

But O'Driscoll believes Ireland's recent good run will be an advantage.

He said: "Having won six games in succession has helped give us a tremendous boost. But it's going to be a pretty intensive campaign this season with six games in seven weeks.

"Again that will be benefit both England and France who have a deeper pool of talented players to choose from.

"Mind you, Ireland are slowly building up their resources. There is a bigger competition for places now and that can only be good for us."

One thing Irish coach Eddie O'Sullivan cannot be accused of inconsistency. Fourteen of the team that started against Argentina in November have been included in the squad of 31 to prepare for the championship opener in Edinburgh.

The only omission from the squad of 22 involved in that game is winger Justin Bishop and he has been ruled out through injury.

Yet there is no guarantee O'Sullivan will place his faith in the team that won the game 16-7 and assured Ireland of a sixth victory in succession.

Back in the frame are Denis Hickie and John Kelly as well as Rob Henderson, fresh from his heroic performance in Cardiff on Saturday.

Simon Easterby and Eric Miller both come into contention for a place at blind side flanker a jersey currently held by Victor Costello. Leinster's Gordon D'Arcy has also been called up.

Bishop is one of eight players ruled out and is joined on the injured list by Jonathon Bell, Emmet Byrne, Tyrone Howe, Paul O'Connell, David and Paul Wallace and Wood.

In the absence of Wood, Brian O'Driscoll has again been named as captain with both David Humphreys and Anthony Foley retained in a vice-captaincy role. Eddie O'Sullivan expects Girvan Dempsey will be fit and well when the time comes next week to select the final 22.

Notwithstanding the loss of captain Wood and other front-line players, O'Sullivan is happy that injuries have not played such a major part in squad selection than in the recent past.

"I think we have had to face worse situations," he said.

"There will always be injuries but we appear to have the basis of a pretty strong squad as we face into the Championship.

"The word is that a few more should be back in contention in a short space of time and that news has also to be welcomed."

But as Ireland go into the championship with a spring in the step based on performances by Leinster and Munster in Europe, O'Sullivan did warn:

"Ireland's record in Scotland is appalling and we haven't just been beaten. We have been hammered on a few occasions. I don't quite know the reason why but Scotland do seem to have something well over us in

Edinburgh.

"We have got to take our recent international wins a stage further and it won't be easy with two away matches at the start of the campaign. If we can get over Scotland and Italy then we will think about the other matches."

Ireland squad for this week's three day training camp is:

FORWARDS: S Best (Ulster/Belfast Harlequins), S Byrne (Leinster/Blackrock College), R Corrigan (Leinster/Greystones), V Costello, (Leinster/St. Mary's College), L Cullen (Leinster/Blackrock College), J Davidson (Ulster/Dungannon), S Easterby (Llanelli), J Fitzpatrick (Ulster/Dungannon), A Foley (Munster/Shannon) Vice Captain, K Gleeson (Leinster/St. Mary's College), J Hayes (Munster/Shannon), M Horan (Munster/Shannon), G Longwell (Ulster/Ballymena), E Miller (Leinster/Terenure College), M O'Kelly (Leinster/St. Mary's College), A Quinlan (Munster/Shannon), F Sheahan (Munster/Cork Constitution).

BACKS: G D'Arcy (Leinster/Lansdowne), G Dempsey (Leinster/Terenure College), G Easterby (Llanelli), R Henderson (Munster/Young Munster), D Hickie (Leinster/St. Mary's College), S Horgan (Leinster/Lansdowne), D Humphreys (Ulster/Dungannon) Vice Captain, J Kelly (Munster/Cork Constitution), K Maggs (Bath), G Murphy (Leicester), Ronan O'Gara (Munster/Cork Constitution), B O'Driscoll (Leinster/Blackrock College) Captain, D Quinlan (Leinster/Blackrock College), P Stringer (Munster/Shannon).

*Not considered due to injury: J Bell (Ulster/Dungannon) , J Bishop (London Irish), E Byrne (Leinster/St. Mary's College) T Howe (Ulster/Dungannon), P O'Connell (Munster/Young Munster), D Wallace (Munster/Garryowen), P Wallace (Leinster/Blackrock College), K Wood (Harlequins).