Murphy not worried about numbers in the wearing of the green

HE may have been as sturdy as an oak tree at full-back in Leicester’s recent sacking of Thomond Park, but Geordan Murphy is willing to accept any role in an Irish team tipped to make a big shot at the Grand Slam.

Like Henry Paul and quite a few more number 15s before him, Murphy was subjected to an aerial bombardment by the home team. Eight times he braced himself for the dropping missile and only once was he found wanting.

Considering the wet and windy conditions, it was an impressive display and one he managed to top off with the cherry of a first-half try.

In the past, he has been asked to play on the wing for both club and country, but the general consensus is that Eddie O’Sullivan will offer Murphy the number 15 shirt when he names his side today for the game against Wales.

“I played the first six or seven games on the wing at the start of the season with Leicester. It was grand. I didn’t mind it,” said Murphy yesterday. “I’m blue in the face telling people I prefer full-back, but I have played the last seven or eight games there with Leicester. It wouldn’t bother me playing on the wing for Ireland. I will put on any shirt I’m given.”

With Shane Horgan out injured, O’Sullivan must omit one from the quartet of Murphy, Girvan Dempsey, Denis Hickie and Andrew Trimble when choosing his back three.

Wales’ options for the back three positions have been complicated with the uncertainty over the fitness of Shane Williams and Mark Jones but weakened or not on the wing, Wales will still maintain a formidable core.

“Their half-backs are tremendous. Their back row is very strong, the second row does a lot of work for them. They’re strong across the board. A lot is being made of their inside backs and centres as well.

“The core of the team is strong and they have fantastic finishers out wide as well. It’s almost disrespectful to say they’ve got a pack or a back row. They have a fantastic team.”

Talk of Grand Slams has been batted away without ceremony all week in Killiney, which isn’t surprising considering Cardiff was meant to be the triumphant last lap of another clean sweep for this side two years ago.

Instead, it was Wales who finished unbeaten in five from five after seeing off an Ireland team which, after an earlier defeat by the French, was itself still seeking a Triple Crown.

Murphy remembers the day well: “They got a try that Gethin Jenkins scored after blocking Rog down. That sticks in my mind, but we have to look forward. Wales were the better team that day and none of the Irish players would argue with that. You hold your hand up and say you came off second best on the day.”

Though the Welsh have tempered their freestyle running game somewhat since then, the Kildare native still expects the home team to cut loose should the opportunity arise.

“When they won their Grand Slam a couple of years ago they did it by playing an all-out adventurous style of play. You have to commend them for it. They took everyone by surprise that year from the moment they came from behind to win in Paris.

“They have that ability. Someone was saying that they have shored it up a little bit and I suppose they are playing a bit more structured. They still have that ability to click into a more expansive game and they are a dangerous, quality side when they do.”