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Tigers Ready To Put Tough Season Behind Them, Says Murphy
It’s a measure of the season Leicester have endured that the most successful club in English rugby history go into their 12th consecutive Premiership semi-final as huge underdogs.
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You can get odds of 4:1 on them winning away at Wasps, who haven’t lost at home all season and finished top of the table, on Saturday but that might just act as that extra bit of motivation the Tigers crave.
Head coach Geordan Murphy knows all about what it takes to win a Premiership title, after being part of eight title-winning sides in his 16 seasons as a player at the club, and says the players have confounded the critics all season and would love nothing more than to do so again in the semi-final.
“The boys are very confident and are really looking forward to it,” he told Rugby Pass.
“Justifiably, we are going there as underdogs but halfway through the season people were saying that we weren’t even going to be in the top six and were going to be struggling to make Champions Cup qualification. So, from our point of view, there is no pressure on us and it is exciting. We can go there and enjoy the game, get stuck in and try and get a result.
“We know how strong Wasps are but this is knockout rugby and it is why we have worked so hard all year to keep coming back when we’ve been written off.”
Leicester won a remarkable eight consecutive Premiership semi-finals between 2006 and 2013 but have suffered defeat in the past three seasons, and particularly chastening ones at the hands of Bath and Saracens in the last two years.
After finishing 18 points behind Wasps at the end of the regular season, the bookies are clearly fearful that they could be on the wrong end of another semi-final hiding. However, Tigers won seven of their last nine league games and are on the up again.
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“It’s been a really tough year. We’ve had lots of issues on the field and have lost three coaches, our defence coach early in the season, then Richard Cockerill and Aaron Mauger,” said Murphy, who has been one of the few constants.
“A lot of the guys have worked under Matt O’Connor before, so they know what he brings and his process is slightly different to Cockerill and Mauger.
“Cockers is more forward-based but Matt is very similar to Aaron really in terms of his principals. He is very directive and he knows what he wants and isn’t afraid to tell the boys that either.”
Long-term injuries to the likes of Manu Tuilagi, Matt Toomua, Marcos Ayerza and others have not helped Leicester but Murphy is pleased with the way the squad have come together and turned their season around after suffering hammerings at the hands of Munster and Glasgow in December and January.
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“We have had a tough run off the field as well. We have had a lot of injuries to key players and that has proved costly in parts of the season. On the whole, though, I think the way the players have reacted, come out fighting, bounced back and been so resilient has been great and there are some real positives that we can take out of the campaign as well,” he said.
“The players have reacted really well to all of the coaches and have worked hard throughout the season. They are the ones who have got us to this semi-final.”
The prospect of the Tigers being 4:1 underdogs when Murphy, who is the club’s most decorated player, graced the Welford Road turf was unthinkable. He can’t have as much of an influence on the result this weekend as when he was dancing through defences but one thing he can guarantee is that Wasps won’t have it all their own way at the Ricoh Arena on Saturday.
“You want to give a good account of yourselves and make your opposition earn it and we won’t be giving anything away for free,” he added.
“Geordan Murphy took part in the Fiat Fullback Challenge. For more information on the new Fiat Fullback Pick-up visit: https://www.fiatprofessional.co.uk/uk/Models/fullback-pick-up”
Comments on RugbyPass
“Over 80% of the World Cup squad are over 30” No it isn’t lol
1 Go to commentsTyrel Lomax the best AB prop since Carl Hayman. Absolutely destroyed the Boks in RWC Final and is monstering allcomers in Super this season. Should be a monster battle vs touring Poms, always deliver a power pack.
1 Go to commentsEye gouging seems like such a strong term for what can only be described as a poke in the eye. When I think of eye gouging I think of someone trying to intentionally pop someone’s eyeball out. it’s like calling a high-tackle attempted decapitation.
3 Go to commentsGreat article. No insights to add, just wanted to say that. :)
1 Go to commentsLeinster are going to win the world cup.
13 Go to commentsSuper Rugby desperately needs to lose at least 2, but up to 4 teams. Rebels quietly going bankrupt would have made that a bit easier. Teams like the Rebels and Force serve only to weaken Australian Rugby and Super Rugby more widely. In 13 years in the comp the Rebels are yet to win more games than they lose in a season, have never finished in the top half of the competition, and have come dead last a number of times. The Western Force, barring a brief stint of mediocrity under John Mitchell from 2007-2009 have been even worse. Sadly it’s hard to see a future for Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby. Likewise I think the writing is on the wall for the Highlanders, it’s hard to see how NZ rugby can continue to support 5 SR teams, and population distribution suggests one team in the south island would make the most sense.
43 Go to commentsNice that Connor Evans is happy to stay on here, that JD Schikerling is returning and Steven Kitshoff. Dobbo is careful to bring back just anybody but having a new financial lease of life, it has made the Stormers a more attractive club. On top of being good quality, having the financial backing helps a lot
1 Go to commentsEngland-qualified too, I believe.
1 Go to commentsThis might turn out to be emblematic of a real issue in Irish rugby. Ireland have one of the best -if not the best - senior sides in the world, and one of the best under 20s sides as well, but don’t seem to be giving graduating under20s players many opportunities to break through into URC starting lineups. There is a risk that a lot of the junior talent they are developing will either be wasted, or lost to other nations.
1 Go to commentsYou ask good questions, Nick. The group who have put together the proposal to play out of Tarneit and participate in the growing of the ground’s capacity are not a bunch of white knights who have been dragged in post-crisis; they were around whilst the Rebels accummulated $23m in debt. Why do we come up with ideas that might make the franchise affordable after it’s broke and not when it might have prevented the trainwreck this offseason was? As for Gordon/Kellaway v Lolesio/Wright, they are both good options. I think the former are better rugby players but the goal kicking of Noah may be decisive when Schmiddy makes his choices. I know Harry Jones has the hots for Edmed but I think it’s one of his few poor choices and he and Jorgensen aren’t close to the other pairs. By coincidence, the wife and I went into town over the weekend to watch Brian Cox and Patricia Clarkson in Long Day’s Journey into Night. Beautifully acted but it was 3.5 hours in the chair and very hard work. Like the Rebels, there were only small bursts of joy to go with a lot of bad news and a depressing story line. In the end, I was hoping it would end and I could give my sore butt a break. Again, familiar.
43 Go to commentsGood decision, very good player but not international quality. But so was Jamison Gibson Park …..
3 Go to commentsLoose forwards always look good going forward and winning. It’s the same loose forwards for the Crusaders and the Canes this year as last year. Too much of the shiny new things getting noticed here while older consistent ones getting bagged. It’s early days. Calm the farm.
6 Go to commentsThanks Nick, and on the money. We tend to be apathetic until something REALLY BAD happens, then we aren't! At least this applies to the Reb players and coach, if not the spectators. They seem to be getting very quick ball at times. Have they altered something, or is it just all of the skills coming together at the right time? It seems almost the opposite of the Reds, who started the season with quick ball, but haven't been showing that in the last 3 losing games. Is it attitude (McDermott hasn't looked “right” to me for 3 weeks), or something else?
43 Go to commentsGood summary. As said, Sevu Reece has been electrifying for the Crusaders. Great try and he has been everywhere. Amazing he is now equal with Caleb Ralph , club record of 52 tries for the Crusaders. That record beckons. Good to see Dallas McLeod getting regular starts at last. A big few weeks are ahead.
6 Go to commentsGood article/interview.As was said Christian Lio-Willie was barnstorming when he came on for the Crusaders. What happened at the end, self-explanatory.Captain fantastic Scott Barrett is due back soon as well, once they are back from Aussie. Great to see Ethan Blackadder back last week.
1 Go to commentsYou must have been watching one team, Andrew - and even then you missed the brightest star in the Chiefs pack - Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 2 turnovers, genuine line-out presence and grunt around the field, and the soft hands of a back.
6 Go to commentsHaha what a crock of sh!t these headlines are. Moorby’s best year was that first. Still doesn’t seem to have the same game about him as when he was fresh but has bounced back well this season to be playing consistent tight accurate footy
3 Go to commentsIt’s even dumber than Bernard Foley not kicking the penalty to touch in the Melbourne Bledisloe in 2022.
3 Go to commentsYes, they are traveling well but it’s early days. The Chiefs were in front with 20 to go while they snatched a last minute win v the Reds. Keep calm.
1 Go to commentsThe failure of the Irish system / rugby playing style to produce their own backs has them looking elsewhere for innovation and flair - not that Jordie has much flair. He’s a converted fullback. The Canes have plenty of other younger options.
13 Go to comments