Murphy hopes to be back in green for end of Six Nations

IRISH international Geordan Murphy returns to rugby tomorrow after a five month injury lay off.

The 25-year-old fullback, who sustained a horrific leg break against Scotland prior to the World Cup, has been included in the Leicester squad for tomorrow’s Zurich Premiership match with London Irish.

A successful comeback at the Madejski Stadium tomorrow will give Murphy a great chance of playing some part in the latter stages of Ireland’s RBS Six Nations campaign.

England at Twickenham on March 6 may arrive too early for the prodigiously talented full-back.

But the final two games against Italy and Scotland on March 20 and March 27 could see his first Six Nations appearance this year.

“I’m absolutely delighted, and it seems like I’ve come a very long road, although it’s been a lot shorter than I was originally told it would be. I’m just so excited about travelling on the team bus and pulling the shirt on.

Murphy admits to some concern about his comeback.

“I’m very nervous about it. No matter what level you play at, once you start taking contact it’s a big thing.

“I’m not going to lie and pretend to be fearless, I’m really nervous about this. It’s scary to go back out there and do it but, in saying that, training this week with a ball in my hand I’ve had a real smile on my face.

“I hope people aren’t expecting miracles straightaway from me. It’s been a long road and I’m just getting back into it. I had a big contact session with the guys on Monday and got through that fine, which bodes well.”

Despite the agony of missing out on a world cup call-up, a philosophical Murphy braved the competition in Australia as a pundit for Irish TV.

“There was about a month between when I broke the leg and when the World Cup started, and I was very low, so I didn’t know how I’d feel about it. But when the World Cup started I’d accepted that I wasn’t going to be involved in it, so I really just sat back and enjoyed it as a fan.

“Watching the quarter final against France was very tough, although there was no guarantee that I was ever going to play in it even if I was fit. It was nice that people said Ireland would have done well if I was in there, but I tried not to think about it and just wished the guys well. ”