'I'd jokingly prefer to look back at 40 having gotten the sack and going, at least I gave coaching a try'
Johne Murphy never thought when he walked away from professional rugby at the age of 30 that he would go on to quickly fall in love with the sport all over again.
The former Leicester Tiger had grown disillusioned as a player during his final season at Munster and an interview with Michael Vaughan, the former England cricket captain, was knocking around in the back of his mind.
“He said that once the thought of retirement comes into your mind it is time to move on or time to make the right decisions about where you really want to be.”
Murphy soon made those decisions. Around the time of his wedding in summer 2015, there was a brief flirtation with a Top 14 club about possibly joining as a medical joker.
That interest fizzled out, though, the French opting to recruit an Australian who was left out of their World Cup squad. That was that for the Irishman. He publicly pulled the pin on the grenade, announced he was retiring at such a young age and off he went.
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In a sport where players usually fight tooth and nail to never let go of their dream career, it was a radical development. An experienced player still very much in his prime quitting without injury as the excuse.
“I just made the decision,” Murphy told RugbyPass, reflecting on the life-changing events of four years ago. “It was something I was quite nervous about but I knew where my head was at and I needed to make it.
“It was either something [a club] that I really, really wanted or it was time to get out because it can really affect your life in general if you do something you don’t enjoy. We are very lucky – we get to live our dreams. But if you’re living your dream and you’re not enjoying it there is definitely something wrong.
“There wasn’t really anything that had my appetite to stay in because I mentally wanted it to be a really good fit and I was very clear on that.
“I still felt I could accomplish something, so I didn’t want to go somewhere and just chill for two or three years with a nice lifestyle. I wasn’t really prepared for that. So around the end of the season, I announced it.”
The great leap into the unknown of the big bad world resulted in running a few horse racing syndicates through the Joseph O’Brien stable and some angel investing. But all the while, Murphy was gradually drawn back into grassroots rugby, rekindling the enthusiasm that had waned at Munster.
What a 16 year journey it’s been! One that I’m incredibly proud to say, started and finished in the Ail. Thank you to all the clubs and this great competition. Without it there would have been no journey. @LansdowneFC @YoungMunsterRFC @NaasRFC pic.twitter.com/52m9U9cTYM
— Johne Murphy (@MurphyJohne) April 28, 2019
He acted as player-coach for local outfit Naas, firing them through the All-Ireland League levels before playing his last match in April. There was also schools rugby, a coaching stint at St Mary’s in Dublin arranged through former Ireland international Gabriel Fulcher. Then there was the foundation of a rugby camp business.
French legend Philippe Saint-Andre wasn’t someone Murphy knew from his playing career but a mutual friend, Ian Lewis from travel specialists Xplore, sounded them out, put the pair in touch with Graham Ross and from there, PSA Academies was born.
It was a bold move. Rugby camps for children are usually the zealously guarded preserve of professional clubs and unions, especially in Murphy’s native Ireland. However, PSA will this summer cater to around 600 teenagers in France, England and Ireland.
THE BIG DAY IS HERE! Best of luck to all staff, coaches & players as the PSA Rugby Academy @TignesOfficiel kicks off. PLUS we're delighted to announce our final partnership for the Irish Academies with @nogginsport1 joining as mental health partners https://t.co/FxXMyiZryY pic.twitter.com/QHCacgrUeM
— PSAAcademies (@PSAAcademies) July 6, 2019
Murphy himself flew on Saturday to Tignes, their picturesque lakeside French venue in the shadows of the Alps, and the level of coaching on offer in all three countries isn’t to be sniffed at given the resumes of the coaches they commission.
On board this term are Irish Grand Slam winner Denis Leamy, South African World Cup winner BJ Botha, Rochelle Clark, the world’s most capped women’s international, and Simon Sinclair, the ex-Northampton academy boss, to name but four.
“It’s probably determination and bloody-mindedness that we set this up,” explained Murphy, taking pride in the popularity of the evolving programme on offer.
Everything falling into place for the start of the PSA Rugby Academy Roscrea @CCRoscrea tomorrow, Sunday 7th July. Looking forward to welcoming our residential Intermediate & Advanced Players to camp! #maximiseyourpotential pic.twitter.com/A8z9pQuF5K
— PSAAcademies (@PSAAcademies) July 6, 2019
“We’re growing in or around 75 per cent every year and we’re going to reach a level where we can’t go any further to make sure our quality isn’t diluted. We class ourselves as having a very high level of coaching and make sure we have the right level of coaches to keep to the level we want… but we know we have to expand.
“We’re three years into this now as a business. We all have different things on the go as well, but we do realise that for it to be a sustainable business we have to grow and look at different angles.”
School exchange placements will be one avenue, PSA establishing pathways whereby, say, an Irish or English 16-year-old can be enrolled in a New Zealand school for three, six or nine months to play rugby and taste education in a different jurisdiction.
Away from business, Murphy is poised to take over the rugby programme at Leinster schools side Newbridge and assist the town’s junior club. It’s stepping stone he hopes can lead to the pro club coaching ranks. “I’m very lucky I had the opportunity to stay in the game and to give back to the younger kids coming through.
“I knew coaching was something I’d be interested in and felt I’d good ideas. I was very much a student and picked up as many learnings as I could from Daryl (Gibson) in my first two seasons at Leicester, to Aaron Mauger to Doug Howlett, to anyone really from all different areas of the world to add to my rugby knowledge.
“It was actually trying to get that knowledge across that I probably struggled with more at the start. Coaching is not necessarily your thoughts or your beliefs but how you best deliver them and whether players pick them up or not.
Looking forward to getting involved with @NewbridgeRugby and enjoying everything the club has to offer both on and off the pitch. All welcome. https://t.co/Z3hwI42HSj
— Johne Murphy (@MurphyJohne) July 3, 2019
“In the next two or three years, I’m going to look to give professional coaching a whirl and see where that goes,” he continued. “I’m 35 in November so I would prefer to jokingly look back at 40 having gotten the sack from a professional organisation and going, ‘Well, at least I gave it a try’.
“I would much rather that happen than be 45 and be a bit bitter saying, ‘I could have done that’. I’d much rather it the other way. I will see how the rugby programme goes in Newbridge and then potentially look at academy jobs or maybe skills and attack stuff. That is my pathway for the next two or three years.”
Murphy knows it won’t be easy. A glance at the two clubs he made his name as a player tells him that. Take Leicester, fallen English giants struggling under the baton of Geordan Murphy, his fellow Kildare man who all those years ago wrangled him the trial that instigating the pro career he didn’t think possible after being overlooked by Leinster.
“Leicester are paying for decisions made higher up. Corporate decisions were made over rugby decisions and that really came to the fore with what happened over the last six to nine months.
“It’s important they get back to what Leicester is – a fantastic rugby club. It’s interesting that Leicester has always been good business, but it’s not a business. It’s a rugby club that has been a good business.
“When you change your mindset and turn it into a good business that is a rugby club, then you start making corporate decisions and not rugby decisions. That is something they have fallen down on over the last three or four years.
A few familiar faces here…#OnThisDay ten years ago, @IrishRugby won the Churchill Cup.
A number of the squad pushed on to unprecedented success in green ?? pic.twitter.com/ejMtOeEma0
— RugbyPlayersIreland (@RugbyPlayersIRE) June 21, 2019
“But they have put in a huge amount of effort in the last two to three months, bringing in someone like Pat Howard as a consultant. He was ahead of his time how he coached and what he did. A fantastic rugby brain and a fantastic business brain.
“They also had a really good side when the internationals were there but struggled when they weren’t. Historically, those windows in Leicester were where other players made their names. That probably hasn’t happened over the last two years.
“That conveyor belt just needs to start up again and it’s important they keep players. They lost guys like Harry Thacker, four or five different guys who are playing really good Premiership rugby at different clubs who are Leicester through and through.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BzDBjskCMzM/?igshid=14t2urhdeflje
“It’s a shame they are doing that elsewhere. Those decisions are coming back to haunt them now. It will take a while but they will hopefully get back to where they belong.”
As for Munster, Murphy is hoping the assistant coach appointments of Graham Rowntree and Stephen Larkham can generate an edge they have been looking for. “They could be the difference. Munster are consistently third or fourth in Europe, second or third in PRO14. They just need a bit of luck and a tiny bit more X-factor to get there.
“They have been unfortunate. This year they didn’t have Joey Carbery or Keith Earls for the semi-final against Saracens and they need everyone to be fully fit. They aren’t like Leinster or Saracens who probably have two full sides and benches that can go out and do a job.
“That [squad depth] is a struggle but third or fourth is where they are and they need a bit of luck to bridge that gap to be first or second.”
WATCH: Episode one of The Academy, the six-part RugbyPass documentary series on Leicester Tigers
Comments on RugbyPass
late hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
4 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
24 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
24 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
24 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
24 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
24 Go to comments