Delight for Murphy with 11th-hour Irish call-up

Geordan Murphy was last night named in Ireland’s World Cup squad just 48 hours after being resigned to missing out.

Murphy’s selection for the second string against Connacht last Thursday appeared to terminate his hopes of travelling to New Zealand, signalling the end of his Test career in the process. But the foot injury sustained by Felix Jones during Saturday’s defeat by France cleared the path for a dramatic return to favour.

With coach Declan Kidney refusing to trust utility players Keith Earls and Luke Fitzgerald to supply cover for first-choice full-back Rob Kearney, he has turned to the 33-year-old Leicester captain.

Four years ago Murphy made one appearance at the World Cup in France, while in 2003 he missed out altogether after breaking his leg on the eve of the squad announcement.

But along with scrum-half Conor Murray, who is a surprise inclusion after profiting from Tomas O’Leary’s collapse in form, he has benefited from a rival’s misfortune.

“Geordan – isn’t that a real case of the highs and lows of sport?” said Kidney. I was involved eight years ago when Geordan broke his leg in Edinburgh. Now he gets his opportunity here too. He’s experienced and brings a lot off the pitch as well as on it.

“We went through a situation in the Six Nations when Geordan, Rob and Felix were all injured. Two of the three are fit now. It’s a specialist position and you need to know what you’re doing, especially at this level.”

More dramatic was Murray’s presence among the 30 names on the list. Even Kidney admits there is something of the “unknown” about the 22-year-old, who only broke into Munster’s team this year when he capitalised on an eye problem incurred by O’Leary.

Having replaced O’Leary for Munster he has now done the same with Ireland, ousting a rival who had been playing on reputation alone until Kidney lost patience with him following a dismal display on Saturday. “What Conor can do is little bit of an unknown. He has had a good pre-season but a limited amount of opportunity on the pitch,” said Kidney.

Most of the squad, which is led by Brian O’Driscoll, picked itself with a 16-14 split between forwards and backs.

Ireland squad. Backs: I Boss (Leinster), T Bowe (Ospreys), G D’Arcy (Leinster), K Earls (Munster), R Kearney (Leinster), F McFadden (Leinster), G Murphy (Leicester), C Murray (Munster), B O’Driscoll (Leinster, capt), R O’Gara (Munster), E Reddan (Leinster), J Sexton (Leinster), A Trimble (Ulster), P Wallace (Ulster). Forwards: R Best (Ulster), T Buckley (Sale), T Court (Ulster), S Cronin (Leinster), L Cullen (Leinster), S Ferris (Ulster), J Flannery (Munster), C Healy (Leinster), J Heaslip (Leinster), D Leamy (Munster), S O’Brien (Leinster), D O’Callaghan (Munster), P O’Connell (Munster), M Ross (Leinster), D Ryan (Munster), D Wallace (Munster).