Opportunity knocks, but can Johne be good?

JOHNE MURPHY wasn’t prepared for his Ireland call-up for this tour to New Zealand and Australia.

“I think I got on the plane with three pairs of boxer shorts to my name and that was about it!

“So I had to do some shopping once we got to Auckland – get some civvies,” laughs the affable winger.

Murphy received the call the night before Ireland’s clash with the Barbarians at Thomond Park a fortnight ago. Twenty four hours later he was playing for Ireland for the first time. Within another 12 hours, he was on a plane to the southern hemisphere.

“The whole thing, this whole tour, has been a bit of a whirlwind for me. Coming from getting a late call-up on the Friday before the Baa-Baas game. That was really enjoyable, my mum and dad and a couple of friends came down so it was really cool. Then from there, being told I was coming out here the next day was all a bit crazy,” says the winger, who prepared for the Barbarians clash with in unorthodox fashion.

“It was all a bit of a weird one. I had been playing a bit of tag rugby with my mates in Naas on the Tuesday and the Thursday. So just after tag on the Thursday I got a call from Paul [McNaughton] and that was it – ideal warm-up for the Baa-Baas.”

His Ireland debut may have ended in defeat but it gave him a taste of his future in a couple of ways. He will make his second appearance here in Rotorua tomorrow. And once this tour – and his subsequent holidays – are over, he will return to Thomond, which will be home for the next two years at least.

“I’ve been in England for five years and that was long enough to be away from home,” says Murphy, who has racked up 99 appearances for Leicester Tigers since moving to the English midlands in 2005.

“I’m not saying I’m going to be hanging around Rathangan every Friday and Saturday now but I’m looking forward to having the option to head home to see the family on a Sunday afternoon whereas I didn’t have that in England for the last five years. That was my primary reason for moving.

“It was obviously a very hard one for me. Leicester gave me my break and I owe them a lot and I think through my loyalty over the past five years, I’ve paid them back. It was just time for a new experience and time to move on.

“There were a couple of the provinces interested and then it was just a decision I made. I think Munster just suits me best for where I am. I played Leinster up to 21s. I’ve been getting a bit of stick off my sisters’ boyfriends and stuff, they’re Leinster through and through so they’re saying they’ll never wear a red jersey. It’s only a bit of banter. But I really enjoyed Thomond Park on the Friday night of the Baa-Baas. Hopefully that’s a taste of things to come.”

With the competition in the Munster backline almost as competitive as that with Ireland, Murphy admits he has to take his chances when they come. But he’s also just savouring being in the senior set-up for an extended period of time, especially in a tour that is a dry run for the World Cup next year.

“I’m not going to lie, the World Cup is massive and it’s on everyone’s mind but I need to concentrate first on Munster. It’s hugely competitive down there so the first thing is to focus on that. If I play well with Munster, if I get the chance to play and start in Heineken Cup games then, who knows. I’m going down there for a new start, it’s a fresh start and I just want to get in amongst it and look forward. The rest, that’s just an added bonus.

“This tour is a massive experience for me. I got a sample of everything pre-game on Saturday night. It’s about learning for me. Hopefully this is the first of a few tours to come so it’s just about enjoying it and working hard and if I get then take it. Friday’s my next chance,” enthuses Murphy, who ironically, will be playing alongside Shane Horgan, the man who he originally replaced in the panel.

He may have come halfway round the world with Ireland for the first time. But there will a taste of home in the away dressing room at the Rotorua International Stadium tomorrow – a Geordan Murphy team-talk.

“We room together in Leicester for the last couple of years and we’re rooming together here so it’s just like being back in England, especially with his team talks!” he says of his fellow Newbridge College graduate.

“It makes it a little bit more special. Geordan has been there throughout my career and helped me on every step along the way. The last night in Leicester was kind of tough.

“It was a bit of an emotional rollercoaster for us all. Getting the chance to play with him for Ireland, especially down here, is pretty special.”