DESCRIBING JOHNE Murphy as versatile seems trite and underwhelming, suggesting “a jack of all trades, master of none”, analogy. Such a description couldn’t be further from the truth as he has excelled this season irrespective of the number on the back of his jersey.
His latest bravura display was in Munster’s victory over Toulon at Thomond Park where, by his own words, he started at fullback, switched to inside centre and then shifted to outside centre when Paul Warwick went off because “I am not that au fait with defending at 12”. Keith Earls accommodated his midfield partner’s plea.
Munster coach Tony McGahan spoke warmly about the impact the 25-year-old has made in the province since his summer move from the Leicester Tigers, turning in a consistency of performance that has thrust him into the top-three performers in every game, according to the Australian.
The only cavil Murphy may have about his latest outing in a red shirt was that he failed to embellish it with a contender
for try of the season. Ronan O’Gara’s vision and Doug Howlett’s slaloming run and beautifully-timed pass, sent Murphy racing clear towards the corner with Felipe Contepomi desperately trying to cut him off.
The Irishman’s swan dive allowed the Argentine the scope to make a brilliant last-ditch tackle. Referee Wayne Barnes went to the television match official (TMO) Graham Hughes and the latter ruled, “no try”.
Murphy admitted: “I thought it was (a try), but I haven’t seen the replay.
“Shaun (Payne) said that I hit the corner flag and I thought the corner flag was yours. I probably didn’t mean to dive so high; it just kind of happened the way I was running. It was unfortunate, would have been a nice start.”
It was his first match in the Heineken Cup at the Limerick citadel, a memory he’ll treasure, but quite apart from the supporters’ delight, the victory was an important approbation for the team and their current well being.
“It was fantastic, up there with anything I have experienced before. I am used to Heineken Cup days at Welford Road but out there today was something special and it really does give you an extra lift. A couple of lads asked for it during the week and the crowd were absolutely fantastic.
“We just want to play for each other. We have a real tight-knit squad. Everyone has been giving us some stick in the last couple of weeks. We say it doesn’t get to you but it does. It bonds you even more together as a squad and we just wanted to go out and play for each other more than anything else.
“We have been really close to putting sides to the sword with the way we are trying to play. I think today was the first time you saw us play exactly how we wanted and finish our opportunities. Last weekend we had a couple of opportunities and we didn’t finish them. This weekend we took our chances. That was the main thing. We love to play like that.”
The red jersey fits snugly, but so too the environment. Murphy observed: “I am just very happy here. My life outside of rugby is going fantastically well and I think that just contributes to you playing well on the pitch.
“At the end of the day it is your job and how you are off the pitch and away from your job makes you perform better. The guys have made me feel so welcome and I love the ethos and work ethic. The banter is quite harsh, you either sink or swim and I’m going alright at the moment. I love that part of it.
“At the start of the season when I started at 13, I just over-thought it but I had a word with Dougie (Howlett). He said, ‘Johne just trust your instincts; that’s why you are a professional player’. I try and make the right calls. It’s going well for me at the moment. I have at attacking mindset. I just want to play rugby. If I catch a ball in the 22, my first instinct is to run back and have a go. If it is not on then you have to be intelligent and play to the corners.”
His preference remains for fullback but like any ambitious player he’ll sacrifice partiality to play.
Tomorrow, Ireland coach Declan Kidney will announce a squad for the November Test matches. Murphy travelled on
the summer tour and was previously part of the Ireland squad for last season’s Six Nations Championship squad. If form is a prerequisite and versatility a cherished asset then Murphy may swap red for green next month.
Match Statistics
Scoring Sequence
1 min:Genevois try, Contepomi conversion, 0-7;
10: Leamy try, O'Gara conversion, 7-7;
24: Buckley try, O'Gara conversion, 14-7;
35: Contepomi penalty, 14-10;
40 (+3):Howlett try, O'Gara conversion, 21-10. Half-time: 21-10.
45: O'Gara penalty 24-10;
49: Wilkinson drop goal, 24-13;
61: O'Driscoll try, O'Gara conversion, 31-13;
64: Howlett try, O'Gara conversion, 38-13;
79: van Niekerk try, 38-18;
83: Coughlan try, O'Gara conversion, 45-18.
MUNSTER: J Murphy; D Howlett, K Earls, P Warwick, D Hurley; R O'Gara, P Stringer; W du Preez, D Varley, T Buckley; D O'Callaghan, M O'Driscoll; A Quinlan, D Wallace, D Leamy (capt).
Replacements: J Flannery for Varley 55 mins; J Coughlan for Quinlan 56 mins; M Horan for du Preez 62 mins; S Deasy for Warwick 65 mins; J Hayes for Buckley 67 mins; D Ryan for O'Driscoll 69 mins; D Williams for Stringer 72 mins; Varley for Flannery 79 mins.
TOULON: C Marienval; P Sackey, M Kefu, F Auelua, R Wulf; F Contepomi, P Mignoni; L Emmanuelli, JP Genevois, C Hayman; J Suta, K Chesney; G Smith, J El Abd, J van Niekerk (capt).
Replacements: G Lovobalavu for Sackey 40 (+4) mins; L Magnaval for Mignoni (half-time; J Wilkinson for Kefu 44 mins; M Ivaldi for Genevois 52 mins; S Taumoepeau for Emmanuelli 52 mins; O Missoup for Auelua 56 mins; D Schofield for Chesney 62 mins; D Kubriashvili for Hayman 63 mins.
Yellow cards: G Smith (Toulon) 7 mins; F Contepomi (Toulon) 59 mins.
Referee:
Wayne Barnes(England).
