Taking it all in his stride

Second Test v South Africa: He knew immediately. The minute Geordan Murphy hit the deck, he knew he'd broken his leg. He was lying on his right side, his face in the ground, and reached out to grab his left leg at the most painful point. He could feel the broken bone in his hand.

Rarely has an injury cast such a pall over a win. Ireland's 29-10 victory over Scotland at Murrayfield in a World Cup warm-up on the first Saturday of September last year will be nothing more than a footnote in history. But, because of it, a gifted 25-year-old at his peak missed out on such a fitting stage. "I didn't know whether to drop the leg or go back to holding my head. I had to slowly put my (broken) leg on top of the other leg. I don't know why you hold your head anyway," says Murphy, laughing.

When Ailbhe McCormack, the Irish physio, rushed on to the pitch, Murphy's first words were, "I've broken my leg, I've broken my leg." McCormack, as is a physio's duty, told him that mightn't be the case. After the interminable delay in examining Murphy and stretchering him off, his next memory highlights how intrusive our televised access is to sport.

"Then, because it's a TV game, you know you're going to have cameras shoved in your face. I was thinking, 'Aw Jesus, just get me outta here'. You just want a hole in the ground to open up and swallow you up."

For the next few days in hospital Murphy was fairly spaced out. There was the volume of calls from family and friends, all well-intentioned, but having listened to messages he changed his mobile number.

For Murphy to be cramming in his 18th game of the season today is an achievement. In the cruellest of seasons for him, ironically Murphy hadn't experienced defeat before last Saturday. He's one player who won't be in danger of having one foot on the plane in Newlands this afternoon.

He is not unduly perturbed by having barely three weeks' holidays before resuming pre-season with Leicester on July 19th. Besides, being a chilled fellow, Murphy appreciates how lucky he is.

"It's better than nothing. It's not great, but hey, we're international rugby players. It's not a bad life."

Murphy suffered a compound fracture of the tibia and fibula, and his plan had been to have the metal bar in his leg removed, but now the medical advice is there is no need. He stretches out his left leg, rolls up his tracksuit, revealing the scars and demonstrates the procedure he underwent.

"It's brilliant what they can do. They slit me open at the knee, pulled back the knee cap and whacked the metal bar down to between there and there," he explains, pointing to just above his ankle. "When I woke up, there was no cast on it or anything like that. It was just bandaged up."

Two days later they took off the bandaging and sewed up his leg while Murphy watched, aghast and fascinated.

The first few days after the injury were the worst, especially visiting the squad's hotel to wish them bon voyage. "That was probably the toughest day, I suppose. I was a bit choked up because all the lads came up to me, but at the same time they were all doing their own thing. 'What are we packing?' They weren't being insensitive but it was business as usual for them as well. There were a couple of times when I thought I was going to lose it, but I made myself hold it together."

Without any need for a cast, Murphy was able to start physio straight away, and ambitiously cited the Leicester-London Irish game on February 21st for his comeback. December 30th was the landmark day of his comeback. Just him and a young hooker, James Butland, who'd broken his ankle four months previously, at Leicester's training ground, Oval Park.

"I thought, 'I have to really push it here'. It was still a few degrees off top pace, and my left leg was still weaker than my right, but I went for it. It still wasn't fluid, I wasn't stepping off it, but it felt brilliant."

By the start of February he was back in contact play. Leicester had been going through a crisis, culminating in coach Dean Richards being replaced by John Wells. They hadn't scored one try from full back in the league. Murphy, though not a bad watcher, had become acutely frustrated in the stands. For the London Irish game he was on the bench, the intention being to give him the last ten minutes.

About six minutes in, winger Danny Hipkiss went down. The reserve backs left the stand to limber up behind one goal. "We got back to the stand and he (Wells) said 'right, you're on'. Huh? I didn't have time to think about it.

"Apparently our fitness coach said I looked in shock. Literally in the next play they put up a high ball which landed in my hands and I ran it back into contact."

After two more games, Murphy was called back for the Ireland game against Italy - a statement of faith in him by Eddie O'Sullivan - and also played in the Triple Crown clincher against Scotland.

His return also met with Leicester's rejuvenation under Wells and it coincided with their 13-game unbeaten, end-of-season run. With the pack dominating, Murphy was given every opportunity to regain his touch and confidence. He looked his old self.

Prior to his injury, Murphy had played in four different positions in his previous four Tests - full back, outside centre, outhalf and left wing. But the position which gives full rein to his pace, eye for a gap, distribution skills, support runs, counterattacking and kicking, is at full back.

Murphy had finally nailed it down when becoming Ireland's trump card in last year's Six Nations. In the wide-wide running game unveiled in the Grand Slam decider, the one player who consistently threatened to unhinge the famed English defence was Murphy.

It would have been cruel on Girvan Dempsey, who has hardly put a foot wrong this season, to be moved or demoted as he hits the 50-cap mark this afternoon. Nevertheless, you put it to Murphy that, in the eyes of many, the real Geordan Murphy won't re-emerge until he reclaims the number 15 jersey. His answer is candid.

"I agree with you in a way. I think I play better rugby when I'm at 15. I've always said I prefer playing at 15 and I find it easier playing at 15. My lines seem to come more easily. I don't have to think as much, and I've always found thinking dangerous," he quips, self-deprecatingly. But, as he also says, the boss picks the team.

"I'd much rather be playing on the wing than sitting in the stands, as I was up to three or four years ago. I also get on fantastically well with Girvan and I think he's a fantastic player."

Unsurprisingly, given he looks more effective on the right, Murphy prefers the 14 jersey, where he has been switched to in a reshuffled three-quarter line for today. "I definitely prefer the right. I don't know why, and I've been playing a lot on the left this season."

But Austin Healey has ownership rights in Leicester at 14, and until this week, ditto Shane Horgan with Ireland. If it means, for whatever reason, we see more vintage Murphy today then so much the better for Ireland. No one deserves a bigger farewell to this season.