Tiger Murphy right at home in away cauldron

LEICESTER’s Johne Murphy has the unusual experience of sitting in the away dressing room at Welford Road tonight.

The 23-year-old Naas man has made a big impression at Leicester this season, and hopes to carry that form into Ireland A’s clash with the England Saxons at the Tigers’ lair this evening. Murphy hopes to emulate his namesake, Tigers team-mate and former schoolmate Geordan by making his name as a full-back.

“It is going to feel a bit weird coming out of the away dressing room but I’ve enjoyed some great occasions at Welford Road and this is sure to be another one,” he said.

“My preferred position is full-back but I’ll play anywhere,” he said. “I’d like to play a few games at 15 but I think I’ve been doing all right on the wing and I’ll stay there and try to take my chances at 15 when they come.”

Murphy is the latest in a long line of Irish players to make their name across the water after finding opportunities limited in their homeland.

He arrived in the English midlands in 2005 via Cill Dara and Lansdowne, but his first-time debut has to wait until late 2006 following major knee surgery.

However, he has nailed down a regular starting spot this season, dotting down six times in the process.

“I said to myself at the start of the year my goal was to play all the games while the lads were away at the World Cup,” he said.

“I did that and then I’ve had some good form of late. I’m by no means close to the finished article I’ve have to keep improving, keep listening to the coaches and doing the extras that are going to bring me on as a player.

“This is just the start for me as a player. I have to keep my head down and keep working away.”

Irish coach Eddie O’Sullivan, who this week came in for criticism in relation to what many believe was a conservative selection for the Six Nations opener against Italy, will hope his experiment of playing Luke Fitzgerald and Shane Horgan in the centre works.

He chose Gavin Duffy at full back when some felt it should have been Fitzgerald in that position.

But there will be considerable interest in relation to the highly-rated 20-year-old Cian Healy, who has held his own against some of the best European props in this season’s Heineken Cup for Leinster.

O’Sullivan said: “We’re trying a few experiments such as starting Luke (Fitzgerald) in the centre and we’re also using the game to give some quality pitch time to Shane (Horgan) and Alan (Quinlan), who only recently recovered from injury. It’s a big opportunity for Cian.”

Meanwhile, the Irish Colleges team (comprising University and Colleges players) play the English Combined Services in London tonight (7pm).

Additional international matches are planned for February 22 and the March 14 against the Scottish Universities and English Students respectively.

IRISH COLLEGES (v England Combined Services): E Torrie (UL/UL Bohs), S Carey (NUIG/Buccaneers), P O’Toole (Garda/Connemara), M O’Shea (Garda/Suttonians), D Fanning (IT Tallaght/St.Marys), P DeBarra (IT Carlow/DLSP), B O’Brien (Blackhall Place/Wanderers), S Cahill (Dun Laoghaire VEC/Blackrock College), A O’Sullivan (Inst Art Design Tech Dun Laoghaire/Greystones), S Snell (National College of Ireland/Greystones), B Holmes (Dublin IT/Greystones), C Napier (Belfast MC/Ballynahinch), I Cullinan (NUIG/Galwegians), D Kenny (Dun Laoghaire VEC/Greystones), H Hogan (Griffith College/St. Marys College).

Replacements: J Taggert (UUJ/Ballymena), R O’Neill (IT Tallaght/Terenure), J Molloy (IT Tallaght/St. Mary’s College), B Collins (IT Blanchardstown/Old Belvedere), B Reilly (DCU/Suttonians), M McKeever (UUJ/Instonians), B Moroney (IT Tallaght/Terenure), C Murphy (Cork IT/Cork Con), D Carley (IT Carlow/Co.Carlow).