By Toni
September 9 2003

Player Focus: Geordan Murphy

The Statistics

DOB: 19/04/1978
Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland
Height: 6"1
Weight: 13st 3lbs
Club: Leicester Tigers
Province: none
Caps: 15
International Record: 10 tries
Honours: Barbarians, Ireland
Debut: vs. United States Eagles in 2000

The man who couldn't get a place in the Ireland team for so long, and then became such a crucial part of the setup - Geordan Murphy has emerged as one of the world's leading fullbacks and a huge asset to an already star-filled Irish backline.

Now maybe I'm a little biased towards Murphy, but I have been watching him play since he was 19, and he's always had the "X" factor. The knack of scoring tries, and if he's not scoring them, he's creating them. Not bad with the boot either - drop goals from 40 metres plus are a speciality, a la vs France in 2003 and for Tigers vs. Saracens in 2002 - there is no doubting he is one hell of a player. Having made his debut in 2000, it took him nearly three years to establish himself as an Ireland regular. He finally seemed to get his chance in the 2002 Six Nations, only to go off injured against England after 14 minutes. That injury - to his cruciate ligaments on his left knee - took until April to clear up - his return match was on his 24th birthday, for the Leicester Tigers against Leeds - and he was selected for the New Zealand tour in the summer of 2002.

Having started both tests, Murphy then had an operation on a niggling shoulder injury that had been bothering him since the season before. Whilst scoring a try for Leicester, he crashed into the advertising boardings and put off the operation until post-New Zealand. Despite playing brilliantly on his return match for Leicester in October - scoring 2 tries and creating 5 - he was playing for Tigers against Northampton when Ireland took on, and famously beat, Australia. He was returned to the 15 jersey for the following weeks' Autumn Test against Fiji and once more against Argentina, but was only selected on the bench for the 2003 Six Nations.

An injury to Shane Horgan during the opening game against Scotland gave him his chance, and coming off the bench he scored a sparkling solo try. It was enough to earn him selection for the Italy game, where he played fullback following an injury to long-term positional rival, Leinster's Girvan Dempsey. Another try followed, and by the France game - and that drop goal - he emerged as Ireland's star of the tournament. He created Keith Gleeson's try in the Wales game and played well against England, looking at times like Ireland's only threatening back. Murphy finished the season by being named Ireland's player of the season, as well as the Leicester Tigers members choice player of the season [I am utterly ashamed to say I didn't vote for him - I voted for Josh Kronfeld!]

Murphy played outside centre for Ireland in Australia during the summer of 2003, showing his ability to play at a high standard in most of the backline positions, before flying home and missing the Island games. He featured again against Wales in the first of Ireland's World Cup warmups, was on the bench - and got onto the field - for the Italy game, and then came that Scotland game. Every Irish rugby fan held their breath as their mecurial fullback went down injured clutching his left leg, and the worst was later confirmed - he was out of the World Cup tournament with a broken tibia. Having finally established himself, injury blighted once more. Eddie O'Sullivan said of his injury, "Murphy's is a terrible injury, and it has come at the worst possible time". No doubt, had the injury not occured, Murphy would have featured heavily in Ireland's World Cup campaign.

However, Geordan Murphy is something special, a rare talent who will recover from this injury and hopefully return to his best. Maybe I am biased toward him - he is a Tiger afterall, and he's done some wonderful things for the club - but with a player like that, surely it's okay to be biased? And really... who's going to disagree? Best of luck to Geordan for a speedy recovery.