EVEN THOUGH THIS European opener will only be the second time Jack Murphy has faced French club opposition, the 21-year-old Ulster out-half is still well tuned-in regarding what to expect from Racing 92.
The province’s first ever pool game in the European Challenge Cup has Ulster hosting the Parisian club in Paris tonight [KO 8pm, Premier Sports] and the in-form Irish province are confident of being able to transfer their URC form – four league wins from five – to another competition.
“This is a very different animal,” said Murphy, whose previous experience against a Top 14 team was starting in last season’s losing Champions Cup round of 16 clash at eventual competition winners Bordeaux-Begles.
“To play against a French team is different to the teams that we play in the URC. Like, that kind of looseness of French rugby and the chaotic stuff kind of feeds into what they’re trying to do, so I guess we’ll try to do the things that we’ve been looking at during the week to try and calm them down a little bit.
Advertisement
“The French teams are quite difficult to gauge on what they’re going to do,” Murphy continued, “because they’ve just got so much talent across the pitch. They’ve (Racing) got French internationals and then also a rake of overseas players (to choose from).
“So we’re expecting a lot of power from them and a lot of pace as well. But we’re more self-focused on what we’re trying to do and there are a couple of areas that we’ve been looking at to go after.”
Murphy has settled in well after breaking through at Ulster just over a year ago and has had to quickly add greater accuracy to his game as well as the ability to lead from what is a key place on the field.
“I think that’s just the nature of my position,” he says, “I have to be stepping into that role.
Murphy is back in the 10 shirt against Racing this evening. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
“I think the lads, that’s what they want, they don’t want somebody not taking it by the reins.
“(It helps that) I’ve got a lot of experience around me as well,” Murphy states with a nod towards scrum half Nathan Doak as well as centres James Hume and the currently injured Stuart McCloskey, “and they don’t lead me too far astray in terms of advice that I go to them for.
“It’s just something that I’ve always been through, whether at the (Ireland) 20s and even younger than that.
“I’ve always tried to be a driver.”
ULSTER: Jacob Stockdale; Robert Baloucoune, James Hume, Jude Postlethwaite, Zac Ward; Jack Murphy, Nathan Doak; Sam Crean, Rob Herring, Tom O’Toole; Harry Sheridan, Charlie Irvine; Dave McCann, Nick Timoney, Juarno Augustus.
Replacements: Tom Stewart, Angus Bell, Scott Wilson, Joe Hopes, Bryn Ward, Conor McKee, Jake Flannery, Stewart Moore.
RACING 92: Geronimo Prisciantelli; Nolann Donguy, Sam James, Vladi Ashvetia, Wilfried Hulleu; Antoine Gibert, Kleo Labarbe; Edouard Jabea Njocke, Yanis Basse, Gia Kharaishvili; Junior Kpoku, Will Rowlands (capt); Fabien Sanconnie, Noa Zinzen, Lekima Tagitagivalu.
Replacements: Diego Escobar, Herman Coetzee, Lehopoame Leota, Maxime Baudonne, Jonny Hill, Auguste Albuisson, Leo Carbonneau, Arthur Espeut.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
'I've always tried to be a driver' - Murphy out to lead by example at Ulster
EVEN THOUGH THIS European opener will only be the second time Jack Murphy has faced French club opposition, the 21-year-old Ulster out-half is still well tuned-in regarding what to expect from Racing 92.
The province’s first ever pool game in the European Challenge Cup has Ulster hosting the Parisian club in Paris tonight [KO 8pm, Premier Sports] and the in-form Irish province are confident of being able to transfer their URC form – four league wins from five – to another competition.
“This is a very different animal,” said Murphy, whose previous experience against a Top 14 team was starting in last season’s losing Champions Cup round of 16 clash at eventual competition winners Bordeaux-Begles.
“To play against a French team is different to the teams that we play in the URC. Like, that kind of looseness of French rugby and the chaotic stuff kind of feeds into what they’re trying to do, so I guess we’ll try to do the things that we’ve been looking at during the week to try and calm them down a little bit.
“The French teams are quite difficult to gauge on what they’re going to do,” Murphy continued, “because they’ve just got so much talent across the pitch. They’ve (Racing) got French internationals and then also a rake of overseas players (to choose from).
“So we’re expecting a lot of power from them and a lot of pace as well. But we’re more self-focused on what we’re trying to do and there are a couple of areas that we’ve been looking at to go after.”
Murphy has settled in well after breaking through at Ulster just over a year ago and has had to quickly add greater accuracy to his game as well as the ability to lead from what is a key place on the field.
“I think that’s just the nature of my position,” he says, “I have to be stepping into that role.
“I think the lads, that’s what they want, they don’t want somebody not taking it by the reins.
“(It helps that) I’ve got a lot of experience around me as well,” Murphy states with a nod towards scrum half Nathan Doak as well as centres James Hume and the currently injured Stuart McCloskey, “and they don’t lead me too far astray in terms of advice that I go to them for.
“It’s just something that I’ve always been through, whether at the (Ireland) 20s and even younger than that.
“I’ve always tried to be a driver.”
ULSTER: Jacob Stockdale; Robert Baloucoune, James Hume, Jude Postlethwaite, Zac Ward; Jack Murphy, Nathan Doak; Sam Crean, Rob Herring, Tom O’Toole; Harry Sheridan, Charlie Irvine; Dave McCann, Nick Timoney, Juarno Augustus.
Replacements: Tom Stewart, Angus Bell, Scott Wilson, Joe Hopes, Bryn Ward, Conor McKee, Jake Flannery, Stewart Moore.
RACING 92: Geronimo Prisciantelli; Nolann Donguy, Sam James, Vladi Ashvetia, Wilfried Hulleu; Antoine Gibert, Kleo Labarbe; Edouard Jabea Njocke, Yanis Basse, Gia Kharaishvili; Junior Kpoku, Will Rowlands (capt); Fabien Sanconnie, Noa Zinzen, Lekima Tagitagivalu.
Replacements: Diego Escobar, Herman Coetzee, Lehopoame Leota, Maxime Baudonne, Jonny Hill, Auguste Albuisson, Leo Carbonneau, Arthur Espeut.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Challenge Cup jack murphy Rugby Ulster