Thanks Geordan.

Here's hoping you won't be leaving WR any time soon.

http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/Murphy-confirms-retirement/story-18914215-detail/story.html#axzz2SauUAthV

A great club man and maybe future coach.

Fair play Geordan, always one of my favourite players.

Outstanding for club and country, he's taken some very harsh flack over the years. To say it's the knee injury that's hastened his retirement is saying something for 35yr old back.

Good luck in the future, you've earned it.

aitchw wrote:Outstanding for club and country, he's taken some very harsh flack over the years. To say it's the knee injury that's hastened his retirement is saying something for 35yr old back.

Good luck in the future, you've earned it.

Not from Tigers fans he's not, Hw.

No, I would hope not. I seem to recall some Ireland fans being less than complimentary though but it goes with the job I guess.

That's the reason I posted the tread on the Club rugby page H. Geordan removed himself from the international scene some time back.

He only retired from international rugby last year grey. He was in the world cup squad.

He's a legend and is loved in Leicester. Years of loyal and quite brilliant service, if it were possible I'd suggest retiring the 15 shirt. I doubt we'll see another player occupy it for a 17 year stint.

Great player, always seemed to read the play so well. Travesty that he didn't get more caps for Ireland (or play for a decent club team ).

Can't remember who it was against but he once moved to OC during a game due to injuries and the running lines he instantly started picking were majestic. If he can pass on just 5% of his ability through coaching then he will be a success.

Well that came out of nowhere.

aitchw wrote:No, I would hope not. I seem to recall some Ireland fans being less than complimentary though but it goes with the job I guess.

very true and very sad

Sad to see my favourite players retiring. I was drawn into rugby by the brilliant Irish backline of the early/mid 00's. D'arcy/BOD/Hickie/Horgan/Murphy were brilliant to watch. Always preferred Murphy to Dempsey.

He would have been a star of the '03 RWC if not for the broken leg. He was on fire. Just as exciting to watch as BOD.

B91212 wrote:Great player, always seemed to read the play so well. Travesty that he didn't get more caps for Ireland (or play for a decent club team ).

In fairness he has 74 caps and there was lots of competition for his place and he was unlucky with injuries.

Thanks for the memories Geordan.

Decent player for Ireland,great player for the Tigers and all round nice bloke.

Only in Ireland would 74 caps be seen as not being given enough opportunities.

LeinsterFan4life wrote:Only in Ireland would 74 caps be seen as not being given enough opportunities.

Sure every man hand his dog gets 100 odd over here, especially if they play for Munster. Poor old Geordan .

Feckless Rogue wrote:Sad to see my favourite players retiring. I was drawn into rugby by the brilliant Irish backline of the early/mid 00's. D'arcy/BOD/Hickie/Horgan/Murphy were brilliant to watch. Always preferred Murphy to Dempsey.

He would have been a star of the '03 RWC if not for the broken leg. He was on fire. Just as exciting to watch as BOD.

Yeah for about the only time he was first choice for Ireland, and was on the top of his form. That broken leg was so unlucky.

But, an absolyte legend for us. Awesome.

Any chance of a send off in the Barbarians match?

Well, I think we all saw the end of the road coming for him, as it inevitably comes for all of us. Really enjoyable player to watch and seemed a class gent.

In simple terms, Rugby, and sport in general, needs more player like him.

The fact I can say nice things about him despite his club (aka the evil empire) he played for means a lot. Just up the M1 from the true Rugby Heaven.

We can all get a bit effusive at retirement bashes, but still nice tweet by BOD:

https://mobile.twitter.com/BrianODriscoll

I think that you do Ireland and their fans a disservice.

We all really appreciated Murphy and he contributed to some excellent play. I think he was probably a bit better than Dempsey but Dempsey was never as bad as some made him out.

It is logical that Dempsey featured as much given that Murphy had several lenghty injuries and Dempsey played with the rest of the backs (Darcy, O'Driscoll, Hickie and Horgan) at Leinster keeping a club unit intact on the international stage.

Since the 2000s we have had three very good fullbacks. Girvan Dempsey, Geordan Murphy and Rob Kearney. I think the three of them have managed a fair crack of the whip with 81 caps, 74 caps and Kearney with 46 caps so far.

Anyway on Murphy, whats to say? He was a top player in his pomp, a great club man throughout his career and an extremely likeable rugby player. The game will be worse off without him.

I doubt Horgan will be sending him a retirement card though.

LondonTiger wrote:I doubt Horgan will be sending him a retirement card though.

Why?

Have to say in early 00's Geordan was my fav Irish player, ahead of BoD, was reallt disappointed that he missed the 03 world cup and he was on fire that year.

Have made this point before, I remember being annoyed at the time that Dempsey kept on getting picked ahead of him, but can understand it better now. Dempsey was a better defensive fullback, Geordian a better attacking fullback (both were great fullbacks), if you have RoG and Stringer as halfbacks (neiter good at tackling), it makes sense to have the more defensive fullback to cover for them, if we had Sexton then, I'd say Murphy would have got more caps.

Anyways hope the coaching career goes well for him.