MURPHY’S No Thorny issue for RAW Connacht
Jordi predicting a ‘venomous’ battle against Munster this evening
ULSTER MUNSTER TV: Live on eir Sport and Premier Sports ULSTER flanker Jordi Murphy believes tonight’s derby with Munster will carry the same “venom” as a crunch European Champions Cup tie.
Dan Mcfarland’s men are bracing themselves for the first stanza of an interpro trilogy when they welcome their southern rivals to the Kingspan Stadium.
They also face Connacht at the Sportsground next Friday before going toe-to-toe with Leinster at the RDS on January 5.
Murphy, who joined Ulster from Leinster in May, said: “Munster at home is an exciting prospect and you don’t get much bigger. These boys are on the same island. They’re only down the road, so there’s definitely that little bit extra in the back of your mind when it’s an interpro game.
“There’s an incredible physicality and venom in these games. They’re attritional games until the final whistle.”
Asked if interprovincial clashes boast the same stature as Euro dates, Murphy replied: “If you come down on Friday night you’ll see that the crowd definitely feels that way.
“It’s definitely up there with Champions Cup games. You’re also playing boys competing for your position in the Irish set-up, so you’d be foolish to think it isn’t a shop window.”
While Ulster are bidding to build on impressive back-toback bonus point wins over Scarlets in Europe, an early season Munster rout is also fresh in the memory.
The Limerick men ran in NINE tries in a 64-7 thumping as a below strength Ulster fell to the club’s heaviest ever Pro14 defeat.
“It’s in the back of our minds that we took a bit of a beating down there, so we want to do ourselves justice,” said Murphy.
“We have come off the back of a couple of good wins, but we need to be backing that up against Munster.”
Murphy believes Ulster’s back row options – he has impressed alongside Marcell Coetzee and Sean Reidy in recent weeks – are a plus heading into a defining period of the season.
He said: “It’s fantastic to see Marcell in such good form. His work-rate is relentless and you can tell how much he’s loving being out there.
“Sean has also been brilliant. And then you have someone with the quality of Nick Timoney coming off the bench lifting the standards again when he gets the opportunity.
“There’s good cohesion and we’re all driving each other a lot.”
On-loan Leinster lock Ian Nagle makes his first Ulster start in the absence of Iain Henderson, who underwent thumb surgery on Monday.
Robert Baloucoune replaces Jacob Stockdale on the wing, while Rob Herring comes in for Rory Best, who is on the bench.
Leinster Connacht The RDS, tomorrow, 7.45pm
v CONNACHT are confident Gavin Thornbury will shake off a head knock in time to face his native Leinster tomorrow.
Last weekend the Dubliner left the field with a HIA during Connacht’s bonus point win away to Perpignan, but he passed the test and is desperate to play in the derby.
The 25-year-old lock has played 21 times for his adopted province and scored his first try against Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on 1 December.
“It’s nice being back playing rugby. The squad is in a good place,” said Thornbury.
“We had two good wins in South Africa, added to the win against Dragons here and then against Perpignan.
“We are trying to continue that momentum and it’s a good place to be at the moment.”
Back in the autumn, Thornbury was called into Irish camp by Joe Schmidt ahead of the November internationals only for a shoulder injury to cost him dearly.
He said: “It was a great experience in Irish camp.
“I went into camp and it was a massive honour and learning experience.
“Delighted to get it, it’s a great place to be.
“I don’t think there is any good time to be injured. It was devastating.
“I am feeling really good now.
“Hopefully that injury is behind me for the rest of the season.
“All I can do is keep playing here.
“This is my focus at the moment, get picked and play well for Connacht.”