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Lancaster not interested in Leicester gig as Murphy set to stay on for season

The Leinster senior head coach is very happy where he is.

LEINSTER SENIOR COACH Stuart Lancaster has denied any interest in the Leicester Tigers job, with former Ireland fullback Geordan Murphy set to remain in position as the Premiership club’s head coach for the rest of the season.

Leicester sacked former Leinster boss Matt O’Connor last week after a heavy defeat to Exeter in their opening game of the campaign.

Geordan Murphy Geordan Murphy is set to stay on for the season as head coach. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO

Murphy, an assistant at Leicester since 2013, was announced as interim head coach following O’Connor’s sacking.

While Leicester’s players have strongly backed Murphy to take over permanently, Lancaster is one of several names to be linked with Tigers since O’Connor’s sacking.

Murphy revealed this week that Leicester had received 64 applications for their head coaching position, but speaking at Leinster’s headquarters in UCD yesterday, Lancaster said he was not among those applicants.

“No,” said Lancaster when asked if he had interest in the Leicester job.

“My understanding is that Geordan Murphy has been appointed not just interim coach, he has been appointed the coach for the season.”

Lancaster has won major plaudits for his work with Leinster since joining in 2016 and, despite several links to vacant positions in his native England in recent years, he has stated he is very happy working with the Irish province.

Stuart Lancaster Lancaster is happy working with Leinster. Gary Carr / INPHO Gary Carr / INPHO / INPHO

Confirmation of Murphy as permanent Leicester boss for the rest of the current campaign would mark the Naas man’s first permanent job as a head coach.

The 40-year-old’s playing career included 72 Ireland caps and a Lions tour in 2005, as well as back-to-back Heineken Cup wins with Leicester in 2001 and 2002.

Murphy hung his boots up in 2013 and moved immediately into coaching with Leicester, for whom he had played over 300 times.

Murphy has worked under Richard Cockerill, Aaron Mauger and O’Connor during his time as an assistant, but now looks set to be handed the reins for the rest of the season.

Murphy’s stint as official interim head coach began promisingly with a win against Newcastle Falcons last weekend.

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