PLANET RUGBY:IT WOULD be overstating the case to suggest Phil Murphy would have divided loyalties ahead of tomorrow's Test match between Ireland and Canada at Thomond Park.
The 31-year-old Canadian-born number eight moved from London Irish to Italian club Viadana during the summer after a successful two-year spell with the Exiles during which he played over 50 matches, scoring six tries.
Prior to that he played with French club Perpignan including helping them reach the 2003 Heineken Cup Final - they beat Leinster in the semi-final - where they lost 23-17 to Toulouse at Lansdowne Road.
Murphy won 19 caps for Canada but it is his underage representative career that harbours an Irish resonance. Part of his second level education took place at Methodist College, Belfast, and during that time he represented the Ireland Schools team on four occasions, playing in the secondrow.
There's a fair chance he could be in Limerick today.
Hearn caps remarkable year with debut
CIARAN HEARN will make his debut for Canada today on the wing, capping a remarkable 2008 in which the 22-year-old broke into the Canadian Sevens team.
The former underage international plays - he played in World Cups at under-19 and under-21 level - his club rugby with the Castaway Wanderers in Victoria during the winter months.
Noted for an impressive turn of speed he is likely to feature at both the 15-man game and the abbreviated version, especially in relation to the latter at next year's World Cup in Dubai.
Irish trio still showing their class
THREE IRELAND players who helped the national side to a 33-11 victory over Canada on November 30th, 1997, at Lansdowne Road are still playing first-class rugby 11 years later.
Malcolm O'Kelly (Leinster), Kieron Dawson (Ulster) and Kevin Maggs (Bristol) can claim longevity to the many other qualities they possess as rugby players. The try scorers for Ireland that day were Kevin Nowlan (2), Victor Costello and Conor McGuinness, all of St Mary's, as well as Maggs. Galwegians' Eric Elwood kicked over two penalties and one conversion.
Familiar faces from 2000 Test
THE LAST time Ireland played Canada was at Fletcher's Field in 2000 and the Irish were decidedly fortunate to escape with a 27-27 draw.
It required an 80th-minute penalty from replacement outhalf, one Ronan O'Gara, to secure a share of the spoils for the visitors.
Three Irish players who started that match will be togging out at Thomond Park in Limerick, albeit none from the start.
Shane Horgan, a try scorer in the 2000 Test match, Peter Stringer and John Hayes are all included among the replacements for today's match.
The Canadian match squad also boasts three survivors from eight years ago.
Scrumhalf Morgan Williams, who came out of retirement last weekend to win his 53rd cap against Portugal, is named among the replacements today but started in 2000.
Loosehead prop Kevin Tkachuk comes from the opposite direction, starting today having been a replacement at Fletcher's Field while the only player on either side who will start both the aforementioned matches is Canadian tighthead prop Jon Thiel.
Family circles
THERE IS a neat symmetry involving the Fitzgerald family between the first time that Ireland played Canada - it was in a pool match at the 1987 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand - and today's clash at Thomond Park.
Des Fitzgerald lined out at tighthead prop for an Irish side that prevailed 46-19 and will be hoping that his son Luke, who plays alongside Brian O'Driscoll in the centre today, will enjoy an equally productive outing
Did you hear what he said?
"YOU NEED to care about the people you play with on a rugby field, and feel that need to be there for each other. It's not enough to just turn up and put the jersey on, you have to believe in the guys in that locker room - and know they will be there for you when things get tough. These guys aren't there yet - but I sense they are getting close."
- Canada coach Kieran Crowley
"We are thrilled to be in the final again after seven years, and we are delighted to have a true Irishman in our team, and not just a Canadian Irishman."
- Toulouse coach Guy Noves ahead of the 2003 European Cup final referring to Trevor Brennan as opposed to Perpignan number eight Phil Murphy who played for Ireland Schools and then Canada.
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