Full back in full swing

RUGBY: John O'Sullivan talks to Geordan Murphy about his return to the Ireland squad for Sunday week's opening Six Nations championship match against Wales

Geordan Murphy celebrated his call-up to the Ireland squad for Sunday week's opening Six Nations championship match against Wales at Lansdowne Road by cooking dinner for a few Leicester team-mates who had come around to watch last night's Manchester United v Liverpool match.

Murphy, who received the news of his inclusion in the Ireland squad from his brother Ross yesterday afternoon, was "delighted to be back in the 22-man match squad".

His last involvement with the national side was frustrating.

"I pulled a hamstring early in the game against Scotland. It was the first time I'd had a hamstring injury in my career. It's great to be back, and now I want to stay in the squad.

"I left last week's training camp in Limerick early, on the Thursday, to fly back to Leicester. At that stage there was no real indication of who would make the squad because the back lines were mixed and matched, " he said.

The decision of the Ireland team management to announce the squad this week is a timely fillip for Murphy ahead of Sunday's European Cup match in which he lines out for Leicester against Leinster at Welford Road.

"There would have been a lot more pressure on me had the Irish squad not been announced prior to that match. That issue has now being resolved and it's not the distraction it might have been. The last thing you need going into a match of this importance is to have additional pressure.

"I am now free to impress, or not impress, the selectors, as the case may be," he added, laughing.

Murphy has been playing well for Leicester in his favoured role of full back, where he initially came in for Tim Stimpson, who had a facial injury.

"The frustrating thing was that people thought that I was only playing full back because Tim was out through injury. But for the previous four matches I had been chosen at full back with Tim on the wing. Then, for the game against Harlequins, management told me to move to the wing; something about using my pace to mark Dan Luger. I wasn't happy, but you play for the team.

"Tim got injured and I went straight to full back where I have been playing since. It's been going quite well, but there's always room for improvement. Rod (Kafer, Leicester's former Australian international and player/backs coach) has been analysing the backs' performances and I have got good reviews on all bar one match."

Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan will be in Leicester at the weekend and will note Murphy's duel with Leinster and Ireland full back Girvan Dempsey. Leicester go into Sunday's game on the back of two defeats - to Llanelli and Harlequins - albeit away from their Welford Road fortress.

Much has been made of the fact that Leinster were the last team to defeat Leicester at home (the only defeat suffered by the Tigers in 63 games there), but it is not a fact widely appreciated down Welford Road way.

"I was talking to a few of the Leicester guys and they weren't really aware of that fact," Murphy says.

Leicester lip Austin Healey returns after serving his suspension. He has wasted little time in informing his team-mates that their troubles are over now that he is back.

"Austin brings a certain spark and he's certainly an asset," Murphy suggests.

If his team-mates may seem a blasé about the challenge Leinster will pose, Murphy is not. "They (Leinster) have been playing extremely well, with great confidence. They play an entertaining brand of rugby and 15 wins from 16 games speaks for itself.

"It should be a very good match. We've been a bit too conservative in the way we've played lately and have addressed that in training. I'm looking forward to it."