Ireland ambition sets up Murphy’s fitting final act with Leinster

Ulster-bound flanker targets Champions Cup glory in Bilbao, in the nation of his birth

Growing up, Jordi Murphy’s ultimate goal was always to play for Barcelona at the Nou Camp. Given that childhood dream faded away a long time ago, representing Leinster in the Champions Cup final tomorrow in Bilbao, the country of his birth, must rank as a close second.

Why Barcelona? The clue is in the name. Murphy was born in the city just before the clock struck midnight on Sant Jordi’s Day, a celebration of the national saint of Catalonia. “I think the nurses had a bit to do with it, but I am happy with it,” Murphy told The Daily Telegraph. “It is a pretty rare name in this part of the world.”

He remains fluent in Spanish and only really started speaking English when he moved to Ireland aged eight. The connection remains strong. He returns to Barcelona at least a couple of times a year and has built up a personal fan base among Spain’s growing rugby community.

“When I started out, I didn’t know there was a rugby scene in Spain,” Murphy said. “People wish me good luck and send me shirts from all their local clubs. There are a lot of seriously passionate people. I can only imagine they are going to embrace the final being in Bilbao and I am sure there will be a lot of fans coming from all over the country. Anything that develops the game over there is great.”

The 27-year-old even mulls the future possibility of representing Spain through the Olympic sevens pathway once Ireland are finished with his considerable services. “I am still a few years off that but I would never say never to anything,” Murphy, who has won 20 caps, said. “It will be a case of whether they still want me because I will probably be wrecked by that stage. You never know. It would be great to go back and help out in any way I can.”

Yet this weekend’s homecoming will be tinged with melancholy. In December, it was announced that Murphy would be joining Ulster, having been squeezed down the pecking order by Leinster’s incredible depth of resources that included seven international back-rows. It has been suggested that Joe Schmidt, the Ireland head coach, acted as puppet-master in engineering the move north but, with an offer on the table to join Leicester, Murphy says the decision was entirely his own.