2 days Ago
The former Ireland Under-20s out-half’s reputation has rightly been growing with another polished performance on Friday against the Stormers when Murphy not only scored his first try for Ulster but was also presented with the Player of the Match award, even though there were other strong candidates with Michael Lowry surely getting close. “Three wins in a row, so we’re in good spirits going to Bordeaux,” said Murphy of the next challenge, Sunday’s daunting assignment to take on the powerful French side in the last-16 of the Champions Cup. That he has been thriving is down to a combination of his own skillset, the coaching and direction of his father Richie and the experienced operators around him including, against the Stormers, John Cooney inside him and 200-cap man Stuart McCloskey on Murphy’s outside.
“Yeah, they’ve been great,” he said, widening the scope to include working with Nathan Doak, James Hume and Ben Carson when it comes to squad members operating in close proximity to his position. “Always having experience inside and outside, it’s hard to go too far wrong because they’ve put a lot of time into me as well. So, I have to say thanks to them.
“When you’re out on the pitch, you have to be as old as anyone in the way that you play, and I knew coming in (at Ulster) that I’m obviously a young guy, so (I’ve been) just trying to get my voice out there and establish myself within the group which is exactly what the lads want, especially from our pack, giving them the right direction. “It feels good when you have Stu outside, who’s 200 caps, and John inside me. I’m surrounded by experience, and they won’t let me go too far astray.
” Naturally citing his dad as a huge influence both growing up and at the Under-20s and now in the pro game – brother Ben is at Connacht – Murphy highlighted Ulster’s stickability as being a strength they can now take forward, with the emphasis here undoubtedly on matters URC in the run-in towards the Play-Offs. “We always find a way back, and I think that’s so important to us because when you have that team spirit, you can come back from anything,” he added. “We really believe in ourselves as a team, so we really want to fight for each other.
” They’ll need all that and a lot more at Stade Chaban-Delmas..
