Ben Murphy will have an opportunity later in the summer to reflect on an eventful last 12 months and all he accomplished, including his move from Leinster to Connacht, getting selected as a training panellist with the Ireland squad ahead of the Six Nations and now being chosen for the summer tour to Georgia and Portugal.
The 24-year-old scrumhalf played 16 matches for Connacht, starting 14 and scoring 11 tries. He also missed six weeks of the season following surgery on a fractured finger. It’s an impressive tale of the tape. While Munster scrumhalf Craig Casey will captain the Ireland squad for the upcoming two Tests in Tbilisi and Lisbon, Murphy should get some game time.
Others may have doubted the speed of his progression, but the Bray native took a pragmatic view based on a numbers game. He explained: “From the outside looking in, it probably would have been far-fetched, but I felt that with the movements – Lions year and all that – there was going to be an opportunity for a young scrumhalf to come into the [Ireland] squad [for the summer tour].
“I just wanted to put my best foot forward to be the one in that position. Thankfully, I got an opportunity earlier with Connacht. I’ve managed to push forward and get into the squad, so I’m delighted.”
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While his time as a training panellist in January demystified the inner workings of Ireland camp, it hasn’t changed his mindset now that he is a bona fide member. That early taster helped, but the onus is still on taking to the training pitch and making a positive impression.
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He wants to contribute to the environment in the same way he managed for his province, which was recognised with in Connacht’s end-of-season honours list.
“Individually, I was fairly happy with how much I played and how much I contributed to the group, but obviously what it comes down to mainly is the team performances and ultimately, we were too inconsistent.
“There was a lot of frustration around the end of the year, particularly around the Racing game (in the Challenge Cup) and the end of the URC where we felt like we still had a chance and unfortunately, we just didn’t take it. It was great learning for me as a young halfback.”
Murphy will enjoy reuniting with a familiar face next season, with Stuart Lancaster taking over as head coach of Connacht. Their relationship that dates back to a two-year spell when the young scrumhalf was in the Leinster academy.
“Yeah [it’s a feeling of] excitement. I didn’t feel we were too far away from being very good. And I think Stu has the ability to take us to that next step. He’s been left a good foundation by the staff that were there last year.
“Any dealings I had with him, I’ve always had massive respect. You can see the development in the likes of a lot of the Lions players who’ve worked with him in Leinster, how he’s brought them up from 19/20-year-olds to now, hopefully Lions internationals in a few weeks.
“He is very good, not just on the pitch but off the pitch in building leadership skills and driving a team. I’m looking forward to hopefully picking his brain a bit on that.”
Murphy is one of six Connacht players in the squad, something that’s had a practical positivity ahead of the summer tour.
“I think it’s definitely made it easier, because we were able to train in a group and build that excitement and work on things in Galway that can transfer over to here. We’re a tight-knit group as it is. It’s been an enjoyable but tough few weeks training together.”
There will be time down the road to catch up with younger brother Jack and father Richie. Jack has exceeded expectations in claiming the 10 jersey at Ulster while still in the academy. Richie is head coach in Belfast.
Perhaps it’s his mother, Stephanie, who merits the summer break most, having taken to the motorways most weekends in support of her two sons and husband.
“Yeah, it’s been busy for my mum anyway. She’s been up and down the road a lot from Belfast to Galway. It has been hugely exciting obviously. Ulster have had their ups and downs as well as us. We’ve kind of been on a similar journey I feel. And Jack is the same; a young halfback learning his trade, but he’s starting to come into his own now. It’s massively exciting for everyone.”
The focus for Ben Murphy is to maximise any opportunity that comes his way in Tbilisi and Lisbon in the early weeks of July. An Ireland debut would cap the season nicely.
