AUCKLAND, 7 June 2005 — The British and Irish Lions’ tour of New Zealand is only one game old but Geordan Murphy already looks to be facing a huge challenge to force himself into the reckoning for the Test fullback jersey.
The mercurial Irishman plays against Taranaki tomorrow well aware that many observers have already penciled in England’s Josh Lewsey at 15 for the first test on June 25.
Lewsey was outstanding in the Lions’ opening game against Bay of Plenty, scoring two tries and unselfishly setting up Gordon D’Arcy for the final score in the 34-20 victory.
With international captain/fullbacks Jason Robinson of England and Gareth Thomas of Wales also in the equation, Murphy knows he will have to be at his best to convince coach Clive Woodward to look his way for the Tests.
“I always love challenges,” the 27-year-old said after being named for the game in New Plymouth. “For me personally I would love to be playing in a Lions test shirt, at 15 preferably, so for me it’s fantastic that Josh played so well. Fantastic rugby is what Murphy has been playing over the last three seasons for Leicester and Ireland, although he was not at his sparkling best in this year’s Six Nations.
One of the best attacking fullbacks in English club rugby he had been tipped to be one of the players to shine at the 2003 World Cup, however he sustained a broken leg in a warm-up match against Scotland prior to the tournament and was ruled out.
So while he is capable of producing the sublime, and would dearly love to cast serious doubts in Woodward’s mind as to who gets the 15-jersey in Christchurch, the primary goal for tomorrow he feels is a well-worked team performance. “It’s important to play well, obviously, and that’s what I always aim to do,” he said.
