IN A MOVE which demonstrates his desire to further his international career, Jordi Murphy, the 18-time capped Ireland international, will end his seven-year association with Leinster at the end of the season to join Ulster.
Murphy, 26, is set to link up with former Ireland defence coach Les Kiss and ex-Leinster forwards coach Jonno Gibbes in Belfast from next season, in a signing which considerably boosts Ulster’s back-row ranks.
The news was first reported by The Irish Times this morning, and The42 understands discussions have taken place between the northern province and the player and his representatives.
Although an announcement isn’t expected just yet, Kiss is likely to field questions about Murphy’s switch north when he faces the media tomorrow ahead of Ulster’s Champions Cup clash with Harlequins on Sunday.
Murphy himself will hope to be involved in Leinster’s Pool 3 clash in Exeter, but the former Blackrock College student has fallen down Leo Cullen’s pecking order of late having returned from an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Since his return from the 10-month layoff, Murphy has been in fierce competition with as many as five international back-row forwards at Leinster and missed out on selection for the games against Munster and Montpellier, before being left out of the matchday squad entirely for the bonus-point win over Glasgow Warriors.
That said, he has featured nine times for the eastern province this term and scored his 17th try in blue during the Pro14 victory over Benetton Rugby at the weekend. Overall, he has won 95 appearances for Leinster.
Originally omitted from Joe Schmidt’s November internationals squad, Murphy was called into camp for the second Test against Fiji following injuries to Dan Leavy and Tommy O’Donnell. He won his 18th cap against the Pacific Islanders at the Aviva Stadium, coming over a year since his last.
The flanker signed a new contract with Leinster at the end of the last season but as is the province’s policy, the length of the deal was not disclosed.
Murphy will become Ulster’s second addition ahead of the 2018/19 season when his switch is officially confirmed following their capture of former Leinster prop Marty Moore from Wasps.
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They have some neck.
@Patrick Breen: Could still go to the DRA after this and maybe even a court case, who knows?
@Patrick Breen: they’re dead right. Why not just replay the last free again, the idea they have to replay the whole game is a fair solution is madness.
@Paul Mallon: the fact that they blatantly cheated and think they should get away with it is madness.
@Paul Mallon: replay the last free, seriously. So we’ll just make up a new sport..
@Patrick Breen: the more I think about this I’ve changed my mind from it’s 100% a replay to it only warrants a fine! Realistically the chances of a goal with the last kick of the game is unlikely, especially when it’s a 45 with the packed defence fully set up. And it’s telling that the referee allowed the 45 to be taken before the substitutions had been complete properly – Kilmacud will argue that as the subs were not being managed correctly! Players off players on before 45 can take place – clearly ref was going to allow it be taken quickly which added to the panic & confusion. In my view KMc won this game and an extra man on for 24secs over 70+ mins had NO bearing on the outcome. If this was reversed I don’t general public wud be questioning if Glen won it
@BMJF: It’s not really about the likelihood of a goal. Nobody knows what effect the 16th player had, direct or indirect, even as a distraction to the player in possession. The real issue is what happens if there’s no real sanction. Teams will be making substitutions and making sure the player being replaced is at least very slow leaving the pitch. Now we see Glen have pulled out of the appeals process because a replay is unworkable.
@BMJF: especially when it’s an overpacked defence.
@Thomas O’ Donnell: don’t be silly. The GAA will simply learn to make substitutions like every other sporting organisation!! That’s what will happen. Play will pause before a free is taken etc and Players will have to come off before the replacements go on and ref won’t restart the game until they’re in position. It’s not rocket science. GAA should have accepted some responsibility, read their rules and issued a hefty fine the next morning and that would have been the end of it
I’d watch a live stream of that hearing
Hope they throw the book at them and just award the final to the other team.
@Reggie: haha, don’t know about that now Reg. Certainly interested to hear what their grounds for appeal will be though…..seems cut and dried to me that the rule was broken and one of the consequences have been invoked.
The tone of the anti Kilmacud comments is telling. An anti Dub vibe off them. I’m guessing that If this was reversed and Glen had 16 men for 24secs over a 70+ min game, defending a 2point lead with last play of the game, the general public wud be saying that on balance Glen should remain the winners, and that the extra man for 24 secs didn’t really impact the outcome! But because it’s a big Dub club everyone has knickers in a knot!!
If GAA had issued a fine quickly I think Glen would have accepted the result , as their manager did straight after the game
@BMJF: I would say the opposite, the Ulster team (as always) are being portrayed as the bad guys here… maybe I’m wrong
Kilmacud won fair and square on the field of play. Glen will be looked upon as sore losers. There’s no way Kilmacud will replay the match. They are prepared to hand the cup over to Glen. If the Glen club wants to avoid the lasting legacy of poor losers they really should withdraw the objection and gear themselves up to trying to win the title next year on the field of play. That would give the club a lot of respect.
@Brendan Daniel Naughton: ‘fair and square’, hahahaha, are you well.
Great stuff