Gavin Cummiskey talks to a player who is happy to be back in his favoured position of fullback in Ireland's opening game of the Six Nations against Italy.

On Wednesday Brian O'Driscoll was asked to describe Geordan Murphy in soccer terms. 'Paul Scholes' sprung from the Irish captain's lips. It fitted nicely as Manchester United shunted Scholes to the wing when Juan Sebastian Veron was in favour. They kept winning but it was only when Scholes returned to a central role they looked like world-beaters.

Likewise, at wing Murphy is a useful cog in a well-oiled machine but at fullback he can decide games. Coach Eddie O'Sullivan used some of his regular card-playing speak in describing team selection this week. Girvan Dempsey misses out now there is a "full deck", while Kevin Maggs drops out of the squad "in the shuffle". The defensively solid make way for the best attacking quintet Ireland has ever produced.

For the majority of the World Cup and last year's Six Nations, there was no Murphy or Denis Hickie while Gordon D'Arcy was absent for the autumn series. Ireland kept winning.

Now there is a full house and expectations are hitting unprecedented levels. Normally the hype doesn't begin until one major scalp is picked up. Last season's Triple Crown ended all that.

"Yeah it's building up from the beginning," Murphy admitted. "We have a good side - the best in a few years and turned over some of the superpowers so we have a fantastic chance. It's good to be confident but mixed with a bit of humility."

The Leinster Schools' Cup semi-final in 1996 was when Murphy first raised his head above the parapet. Playing outhalf for Newbridge College, he produced a dazzling display to send the favoured Clongowes Wood College packing. The final doesn't need mentioning here.

A new talent had arrived on Irish rugby's doorstep. A versatile back with genuine pace but instead of fast-tracking Murphy through the ranks, he slipped off the radar into the welcoming arms of Leicester RFC. They refuse to give him back.

For a time, Ireland bizarrely ignored the prodigious talent across the water but in 2003 he was given a sustained run to roam from fullback. He ended up as the Irish rugby writers' player of the year.

That seemed to be that until injury struck, a regular occurrence in this career. Cruelly, it was the final warm-up game before the World Cup that a horrific double break at Murrayfield put him in rehab for a season.

Dempsey was recalled, passing the 50-cap mark in Ireland's tour to South Africa this June. Murphy makes only his 27th appearance on Sunday.

However, O'Sullivan selected Murphy - at the expense of Ulster wing Tyrone Howe - for the Triple Crown clincher against Scotland last year and the subsequent Springbok tour, albeit on the wing. However, he alternated from fullback in the autumn.

A potentially uncomfortable situation could arise as he will be trying to pierce holes in Leinster's defence come April, in the Heineken European Cup quarter-final.

"That's just the way it is. It's always nice to play against your friends - I've always said that. I have always had my Irish hat on when I play against England - it's been good fun playing against guys you know.

"I have a bit of craic with that but it's portrayed in the media as complete hatred. Out on the field really we are just trying to do a job.

"At the minute that's just so far out of my mind. Everybody was talking about it when the draw was made but for me it's more an issue to get into the swing of things over here. Although there has been a bit of slagging, a bit of grief, predominantly we have been just concentrating on the Italian game."

The new 10-week pre-season for home players is not something the Sky Sports-dictated Zurich Premiership has considered. Pre-season at Leicester may be below the Irish par but Murphy still feels fresh.

"It's difficult for me to say how they feel as I only know how I feel. I'm very pleased. I didn't play a lot of rugby last year so I was itching to get back into it as quick as possible.

"I think I've played 14 games for Leicester this year. I'm not too sure how many the other guys have played, maybe 10 or 11, so I don't think three or four games is going to make too much a difference."

And has that old fullback chestnut has been resolved?

"I find it a little bit easier to play fullback than wing. I've always said I don't mind playing on the wing if that means I get an Irish cap but I'm looking forward to being at fullback again."

So are the rest of us.