Murphy, from Bridgend to Berlin

NO shortage of Murphys have flitted across the global stage in their time from Noel Murphy of Munster, Ireland and the Lions to Geordan Murphy, of Leicester, Ireland and the Lions who secured the emerald Grand Slam of 2009 by booting Stephen Jones’ failed penalty high towards the river Taff.

Then there is the League superstar Alex Murphy, ex-Ireland coach Gerry Murphy, Leinster’s Jordi Murphy and Pat Murphy of the New York Giants’ baseball team. There used to be two famous Jimmy Murphys, one who rebuilt Manchester United after many of the Busby Babes had perished in the air crash at Munich, the other a Grand Prix driver who won the Indianapolis 500 before being killed at the age of 30.

And now another joins the list, perhaps the most improbable of all. Jamie Murphy, a 27-yearold Welshman from Bridgend, is in the process of resuming his international career in the German national three-quarter line due to start their World Cup qualifying schedule in Romania in February. Herr Murphy qualifies because his grandmother came from Berlin.