After 13 years at Leicester Tigers, club captain, Geordan Murphy, has well and truly written his name into Welford Road folklore. The Irish international has won a whole host of top class honours, including back to back Guinness Premiership titles after this season’s dramatic 33-27 victory over Saracens and two Heineken Cups.

Having the hunger, ability and consistency to play at such a high level for well over a decade is testament to Murphy’s longevity and great sporting pedigree…

Jon Reeves: So Geordan, you must be delighted with the victory over Saracens and sealing back to back titles?
Geordan Murphy: It was pretty tough. It was a physical game. I think it was a good standard of rugby played and we are delighted to get the win. I think it is tough for any team to win the Guinness Premiership. For a lot of teams, their cup final is against Leicester.

We have been involved in some incredibly tough games this year and we have won the majority of them. Games like that through the season are great for us when it comes to final time.

JR: And what a game. Many fans are calling it the best ever Premiership final?
GM: We started to turn the screw a little bit in the second half and were probably the better side but we kicked a little bit too much and tried to kill the game a bit too early. We probably should have kept playing and we let them back into the game. They had their backs up and after a couple of big penalties for them we found ourselves behind with four minutes to go.

Four minutes is a long time in rugby, as it proved. We said we didn’t need to panic, to get up there and get the ball. Floody (Toby Flood) put a great kick in and Scotty (Scott Hamilton) has shown his great athleticism to get to it and win the kick-off. He was smart enough to play Danny (Dan Hipkiss) in as well. It was great play by everyone involved and I think you are happy when you see someone like Danny coming off the bench.

JR: Have you been pleased with your own form this season?
GM: It’s been a difficult season for me with injury. I got back for the start of the season after a double hernia repair having spent most of pre-season injured. Then, six games in, I dislocated my shoulder and had a few months on the sidelines. It was a frustrating first half of the year just watching the guys.

JR: Quite a few established players are leaving the club. Do you think it’s going to be a summer of transition at the club?
GM: Traditionally we’ve lost guys in the summer and always got new faces in. I think we lost six or seven guys last year, guys I was friendly with, and it will be no different this year. Such is the nature of the game, you’re always going to lose players and we’ve lost some to other clubs and one or two to retirement. For example, Lewis Moody has been here for 14 years. He is a fantastic senior player and he will be missed. That’s the way it is and it is up to some of the younger guys, they have to fill those big shoes. We have some real talent and some of the best players in England.

JR: Ben Youngs has just been named as the Guinness Premiership Young Player of the Year. There seems to be a good crop of younger players breaking through?
GM: Ben Youngs, Billy Twelvetrees, Dan Cole, they’re all young guys. Anthony Allen’s had a fantastic season for us too and he’s in his early twenties. The core of the side is very young, but we’ve got a few old heads – in my case dragging these youngsters down! On the whole the future’s bright, they have plenty of enthusiasm and they’re quality players to boot. 

JR: You’ve been at the club for over a decade. Playing for Tigers must mean a lot to you and being captain must be a great honour?
GM: It’s a huge honour and something I never expected. I wasn’t sure how good a job I would do but I certainly enjoy it. I wouldn’t have stayed so long if I didn’t have such great ties here and I’ve really enjoyed my career. I’ve been lucky that we’ve been quite successful and I’ve been fortunate to play on such a big stage for so many years.

JR: How did signing for Leicester come about?
GM: I was 19 and playing for a small town team at home and my coach wrote a letter to Leicester asking if they’d take a look at me. I came and had a three week trial and got signed up to stay for three years. I’d obviously seen a lot of Leicester on TV at home and as a youngster. I never imagined myself playing in England as most of the teams I supported were Irish.

To get the chance to train with players that had just finished touring with the Lions in South Africa, like Martin Johnson, Eric Miller, Neil Back and Graham Rowntree - big names in world rugby – was an opportunity that I couldn’t miss. I never expected to be given a professional contract, I just thought I’d enjoy the three week trial.

JR: Was it quite intimidating coming in and training alongside those players or did they make you feel welcome?  
GM: It was pretty intimidating and I was probably very shy as well so I didn’t speak to those guys much. They probably had too much on their plate to worry about a young Irishman and the squad was very big then. I think you’ve got to establish yourself as a squad member and then you get a bit of attention and get some chat out of the old heads.

JR: You’ve played in some great teams at Tigers. Who’s been the best player you’ve played with?
GM: There are so many shapes and sizes in rugby that I think it’s difficult to name one good player. Who’s to say that a full-back is any better than a forward? Having been here for 13 seasons I respect how hard the forwards work and they are a huge part of our success. I’ve played with some truly gifted backs too. I don’t like to single anyone out, there’s just too many to mention.

JR: You played alongside Cockers. Was it difficult getting used to him being your coach?
GM: No, not really. I played with Cockers for a while and then he moved away, came back and came through the ranks. His record speaks for itself. You can say what you want about the man, but he’s done a good job for us and got us to finals. For an angry man he’s not too bad!

JR: What are your thoughts on playing for Ireland in the future? Is the next World Cup a major target?
GM: I’m hoping to carry on and the World Cup is a huge carrot. I’d love to be involved in that. I’d like to try and stick around and keep myself in the picture. I think if I made that World Cup it might be the end of my international career and my swansong with Ireland. It would be nice to finish at a World Cup.

JR: I guess there’s still that determination with the Ireland team to really make your mark on a World Cup?
GM: Yeah, I think so after the last couple of World Cups. The first one I missed out on, I think we did quite well and we were a bit unlucky. In the last one it was a bit disappointing and I think we let ourselves down. As players we want to go there and put in a performance that reflects the passion we have for the shirt.

JR: Have you given much thought to what you’ll do when it’s time to hang up your boots? Maybe another crack at Gaelic football?
GM: I’d love to have another go at Gaelic football. As a professional there are a lot of things you can’t do and if I ever got the opportunity to play again it’s definitely something I’d like to do. I’d love to ski as well, but unfortunately I’m not afforded that luxury at the moment because I’d probably break myself on the slopes knowing me!

JR: Is coaching something that interests you?
GM: I suppose it does but I haven’t really thought about it massively yet. I’ve been very lucky to have had some very good coaches and if they’ve passed on a bit of their knowledge then you never know.

JR: Finally Geordan, what does Leicester mean to you?
GM: It’s a beautiful yet strange place because it’s kept me here for so long. Some of the countryside around the midlands is the nicest that you’ll find in the world. The people are very friendly and in rugby terms the fans are very, very passionate. I think sport is a huge thing for Leicester. There’s a huge amount of pride and passion in Leicestershire’s sporting prowess and that’s something you can buy into and feed from.

Soar Magazine would like to take the opportunity to congratulate Geordan and everyone connected with Leicester Tigers for their great achievement.

Words by Jon Reeves