No divided loyalties as Murphy lauds home away from home

LEICESTER TIGERS full-back and captain Geordan Murphy is a born and bred Leinsterman, but he insists that there will be no doubt about to his commitment to his team’s cause in this evening’s Heineken Cup final at Murrayfield.

Murphy, who will again captain the English side in Martin Corry’s absence, also warned family and friends alike that they won’t be getting his supply of match tickets if their loyalties lie anywhere but with the Tigers!

“I’ve played against Munster in the 2002 final and being an English-based Irishman, against my international colleagues on many occasions so it’s not new ground for me,” he pointed out. “The Leicester Tigers is the only professional team I have played for and although I’m Irish as well, my team is Leicester.

“I’ve discussed who they are going to support with family and friends. I’ve told them if they want me to give them tickets, they’d better be cheering for me. If they want to sit in the Leicester section, I don’t want them wearing blue. It’s a tough one for them but I’ve been with Leicester for 12 years and I’d be very surprised if any of my family and friends weren’t supporting Leicester.”

When it was pointed out to Murphy that a newspaper report had claimed his parents would be cheering on Leinster, he retorted: “I don’t think they meant that, I’m sure they were put on the spot. They’d have a soft spot for Leinster but I’m sure they’ll be wearing Tigers colours – or else they’re not getting the tickets.”

Murphy wore dark glasses throughout yesterday to protect a scratched eye he sustained in last week’s Premiership decider, but there seems no doubt concerning his fitness for the final.

Like his counterpart earlier in the day, he claimed Leinster were favourites today based on their performance against Munster in the semi-final. Tigers coach, Richard Cockerill, sang from the same sheet, without using the fact that they have played 35 matches this season as a potential excuse.

“The lads have put themselves in a very special position to do the double,” he said. “We are very happy to bring Alex Tuilagi and Martin Castrogiovanni, two world-class players, into the team. We had a good dress rehearsal last week, and want to be champions of England and Europe.

“The team that goes out and plays its natural game and gets the flow going early as possible is the team that’s going to win it. You can’t sit back and hope you don’t lose.”

Cockerill paid little heed to the comment of his Leinster counterpart Michael Cheika earlier in the week that he believed Leicester would prefer to meet Leinster rather than Munster. He stressed: “We’ll just concentrate on our game and if other people want to comment on who we would like to play, that’s up to them.”

Cheika revealed that while Rob Kearney will take some part in the final, he also believed it was too early to give him a starting place after his recent lay-off after an bout of mumps.

For Leinster captain Leo Cullen, the game provides the ideal opportunity to atone for the disappointment of 2007, when he and flanker Shane Jennings were members of the Leicester side that lost to London Wasps in the final.

“It is with a sense of nervousness and excitement that I approach the game,” said Cullen. “The pressure should be on them more as the favourites and have been in this situation before whereas we are novices as such.

“When I was in this situation two years ago with Leicester, there was also massive expectation because there was so much talk of us doing the treble. I think they sort of ambushed Leicester that day. They were kind of waiting in the wings and as a team we kind of ran out of gas.”

He didn’t say as much but undoubtedly, he’d be hoping that history might repeat itself on this occasion!