Murphy's Best case for Lions
Dean Richards would put him straight into the Ireland team, thinks he should go on the Lions tour of Australia - and sees a similarity with George Best.
No pressure, then, on Geordan Murphy to perform.
The 22-year-old Irishman scored four tries as Leicester crushed Saracens on Saturday, switching from wing to full back and back again in a scintillating display. Murphy, with just three full caps to his name, does not expect to be promoted from the Ireland A team for this weekend's Six Nations clash with Wales.
But the boy from Naas, who earned his place at Leicester simply by writing to request a trial, has few doubts about his ability to play at international level - or join the cream of British Isles talent Down Under this summer. 'The Lions isn't really something I've thought about,' said Murphy, who wasn't named in the initial squad of 67 put on stand-by for the tour. 'But if you don't feel you are able to play at that level, you shouldn't be playing at this level. 'I am a confident player and I wouldn't have any fears about playing at that level.
'I don't know about the boss comparing me to George Best, I certainly don't drink as much as he did. But I suppose I am a talented player, so was George, although in a different sport. 'I'm not the biggest guy so I can't just run over players, I have to try something different and I'm becoming more confident in my ability.' That confidence will have been boosted by Saturday's display, as well as the words of Leicester director of rugby Richards.
'I would definitely be thinking about Geordan going on the Lions tour,' said Richards.
'I would put him into the Ireland team for the game with Wales right away, either at wing or full back. 'He is a George Best type of character, with incredible skills - an ability to produce magic.' Saracens would have needed David Copperfield, Paul Daniels and maybe even Harry Houdini bending reality to have stopped the second-half onslaught which gave Leicester their emphatic win. In a match with plenty of enmity, thanks to the citing of Martin Johnson after the last meeting, Sarries only trailed 23-15 at half-time, with tries from Darragh O'Mahony and Richard Haughton. But after the break, two woeful penalty misses by Duncan McRae saw their chance slip away. Darren Garforth ran over for a try, Tim Stimpson added two touchdowns to his haul of points with the boot, while Murphy - scorer of both home tries in the first half - racked up numbers three and four to complete a rout which extended Leicester's run of Premiership wins at Welford Road to 33.
