Geordan Murphy and Tigers eye Ulster scalp in Champions Cup

Geordan Murphy has the flu. “Don’t have to check the drugs I’m taking anymore. Just pick the brightest colours.”

The small joys of retirement. The Leicester Tigers assistant coach needed mending and quick. Imagine crying off on a gathering of the previous Leicester captains last Wednesday night. Martin Johnson, Neil Back et al (no Dean Richards – some wounds take longer to heal) would have slaughtered him.

It’s a reminder just how ensconced Murphy is in the Tigers rugby fraternity. He was attending the book launch of the club’s history (a 500-page tome). Wearing a slightly brighter blazer and jeans for the picture, he nestled among giants of the English game.

But he belongs. Seventeen years living and being part of the east midlands community. Naas is the holiday home.

Familiar foes come calling on Saturday night; Ulster won 22-19 in this fixture last season. This time they arrive minus the phalanx of foreign imports David Humphreys had recruited for a three-year assault on Europe that ultimately ended in failure. Johann Muller is retired, while Ruan Pienaar, easily their most valuable player, was crocked on Springbok duty last month.

Supervision

Nowadays John Afoa wedges the Gloucester scrum under the supervision of their new director of rugby – David Humphreys.

“I had a chat with David after the Gloucester game a few weeks back and, while I was surprised to see him leave Ulster, maybe he was just drawn by the opportunity of a new challenge. But it was a shock to everybody.”

Murphy and Humphreys were part of an exciting Irish backline that sought to fracture the English white wall at Lansdowne Road in 2003. But Johnson and Back (aided by the greatest English pack of all time – think Richard Hill, Lawrence Dallaglio) slaughtered their green opponents 46-6. That was for the Grand Slam. Ireland had another six years to wait and it was Murphy who caught Stephen Jones's last-gasp penalty underneath the Millennium stadium crossbar.

Humphreys actually tried to sign him for Ulster in the twilight of his career, but Leicester have never let him go. These days he coaches the backs along with former Irish outhalf Paul Burke. “Burkey has been looking after me well. I’m doing all the A team stuff as well. Been really busy this year with all the injuries we have had.”

Tom Croft is the latest English international to be added to the list. Mako Vunipola, Alex Corbisiero, Tom Youngs, Dan Cole, Louis Deacon, Geoff Parling, Ed Slater, Anthony Allen and Tom Johnson are others.

“We’re missing eight or nine international front rows and locks. In saying that, we got Marcos Ayerza back last week, which was important, as Dan Cole and Tom Youngs are huge losses. We’ve been cursed by injury this season but we have to fight our way around it.”

The Leicester way. At least Manu Tuilagi was seen storming through midfield as the Tigers ended a three-game losing streak against Harlequins last weekend. It began the rehabilitation after the 45-0 stuffing at the hands of their oldest nemesis Bath on September 20th.

“We got absolutely beaten down at The Rec. We lacked any sort of bite, lacked the typical Leicester character. The confidence was dented and we went on, losing to London Irish at home in a close one, and away to Gloucester.

Tough place

“The Quins win was important because we were in a tough place. It wasn’t a complete performance but we played with a bit of passion and intensity.”

Brad Thorn will guarantee that exists wherever he roams. The nomadic All Black is almost 40 but this hardest of hard men sought to experience the Tigers mentality close up and personal. “He’s been brilliant for us. He had other deals but he wanted to come to Leicester to see what we are about. He has calmed the ship down.”

There will be 24,000 in Welford Road tomorrow evening, none calm. The season can still be unhinged. Humphreys is a local rival now but his replacement, Les Kiss, is another to imprint on the twilight of Murphy’s playing days.

“He was very good to me in my last year with Ireland. Very good defensive coach.”

With Toulon in the pool, is tomorrow win or bust already?

“Yeah, in Europe you have to win your home games. But we always have to win our home games.”