Murphy reveals burning ambition

GEORDAN MURPHY wants to make the cut for Ireland’s World Cup campaign in New Zealand next year and end his frustration on rugby’s biggest stage.

The 31-year-old Leicester captain, winning his 65th cap against Wales at Croke Park on Saturday, accepts he may be only warming the jersey for Rob Kearney, but he is hell-bent on joining with the Irish squad down under in 2011.

“That’s my next goal. I didn’t get to go to the 2003 tournament because I broke my leg (warm-up game against Scotland) and I was disappointed with the last one because I didn’t get to see much game time. I certainly want to be involved in the next one and I’ll do what ever I can to get on that plane.”

But while Murphy has been given a huge boost with the offer of a new three-year contract from his beloved Leicester Tigers, he is enough of a realist to know there are tough times ahead to break back into the Irish team on a regular basis.

Selected to meet Wales on the basis of a quality display against England when he replaced the injured Kearney, he admitted: “I know I only got into the side because Rob got injured. I was obviously delighted to get the call but I felt sorry for Rob. I know enough about being injured to have sympathy when it happens to others and it’s not the cutthroat scene you might think when you’re competing for places.

“Rob has looked good (in training) and I thought if he was fit and picked I couldn’t really have any gripe because he was the guy in possession of the jersey before he got injured. But I’ll take being picked because it’s always a huge thrill and honour to get to play for your country.

“It would be the same for Rob; there is more to come from him and he will only get better because he’s a quality player. But being there challenging is a good thing. I want to play as well as I can and keep putting pressure on him and that might help him improve as a player as well.”

Murphy was full of praise for the Irish management team led by Declan Kidney as they kept in close contact with the player from the time he sustained a serious shoulder injury playing for Leicester last September.

“They made contact and told me I would not be forgotten. That was a huge boost. They were obviously true to their word when they called me into the squad after Rob got injured even though I was only back a short time.

“What they are doing is exceptional; they are involving a huge number of fringe players whenever possible and these new guys will benefit from the experience, even if it is only to train with the squad. It gives the situation a big happy family feeling.”

Although lack of game time might have been an issue in Twickenham, Murphy was pleased the tempo of the game slowed after a frantic opening 15 minutes. “The biggest worry for me was if the pace of the game continued like that, my engine might have blown. But it was okay in the end, I got through it and I was pleased to get a good run for Leicester under my belt last weekend,” he added.

He figures he might just need every minute of that game time to prepare him for the Welsh challenge and cautioned Ireland must seek to close the game out against Martyn Williams’ strike runners.

“People say Wales are not playing well, but they have been scoring tries and some of them have been the best tries you’re likely to see in the Six Nations. They’re dangerous across the board and when they get to play they have guys like Shane Williams, who can score tries from anywhere, (Lee) Halfpenny is the same and then you’ve got quality players in James Hook and Stephen Jones amongst others.

“If you allow them the space to play they are forever dangerous. You’ve got to ensure you don’t let them the room to play as they like,” he said.

It has been a week of tributes for captain Brian O’Driscoll who wins his 100th Irish cap and Murphy added his words of praise: “I’ve been around Brian now for a lot of years and he is world class. Every team in the world fear and respects him, you talk to any of the players from anywhere and they always worry about Brian. He makes space for players around him and scores some classic tries. Yet how good he really is probably won’t sink in properly until he is finished playing.

“He has developed into a magnificent captain too and leads by example and always gives 100%.”