I must get over World Cup hangover, says Leinster’s Jordi Murphy

By Daire Walsh

Leinster flanker Jordi Murphy admitted yesterday that his performances haven’t been up to standard since his return from the Rugby World Cup.

With Josh van der Flier impressing in the Blues’ back-row this season, Murphy realises that he needs to improve his level of performance in the coming weeks. Although he finds it difficult to pin-point why he can’t replicate the form that helped him to progress to the international set-up, he is nevertheless determined to address the issue.

“He [van der Flier] has been playing outstandingly well. 20 tackles at the weekend! That’s pretty impressive. It’s one of those things, I came back from the World Cup and wasn’t up to standard. In all fairness to Leo, as he said, it’s fight for your place amongst us,” Murphy remarked yesterday.

“He more than deserved to start last week and he’s just been playing really well. It’s just one of those things, I have to up my game at the moment and get to the standard I know I can play at, which I haven’t found in the last few weeks.

“It’s not a physical thing. I’m fit at the moment. I don’t know, to be honest. I’ve tried to work it out. It took me too long to get back into the Leinster environment and start to get back into all the new calls. The way we are trying to play the game.”

Murphy was coached at the World Cup by Les Kiss, who has since taken on a director of rugby role at interprovincial rivals Ulster.

Murphy was joined in the Clyde Court Hotel yesterday by Craig Gilroy, who has also previously worked with Kiss at international level.

The Ulster winger was delighted when he heard that Kiss would be joining the northern province, and he praised the even-tempered approach that the Australian native brings to the job.

“I was pretty delighted, to be honest. I met Kissy in 2012 when he was with Ireland, obviously, and that was when I got my first caps.

“He was there and he was a massive help. When I heard he was getting the Ulster job that was good to hear,” Gilroy said.

“Yeah, he is even-tempered, that’s a good way to describe him. He’s fair and if you need a bit of time off or whatever he’s good like that. But, at the same time, he’ll come down hard on you as well.

“That’s just as important, I think. Guys definitely need that and you can’t be getting too comfortable. Kissy is certainly good for that. Guys hold him in high regard and respect him.”

Under Armour athletes Craig Gilroy and Jordi Murphy were on Dublin’s Great South Wall training in Under Armour Storm performance product.
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