Murley admits he’d be tempted to try out league
CADAN Murley has revealed he could cross over codes once he has fulfilled his trophy-winning ambitions at Harlequins.
The wing, preparing for today’s massive European semi-final battle with Toulouse, is a keen watcher of the 13-man game and often wondered how he would cope in Super League.
A chat with former St Helen’s and Great Britain hero Sean Long during his short coaching spell at The Stoop further increased Murley’s interest in one day switching over.
The 24-year-old has been red hot for Quins this season and is now pushing for a place on the England plane to Japan and New Zealand this summer. He is anxious to finally win a first Test cap having been in and around the squad at times.
But, while his short term goal is to help Quins into their first Champions Cup final, Murley admits: “I have always watched League, especially the NRL and felt there are a lot of their traits we could bring into Union. They are always really at it physically but also their finishing and solid defence.
“We had Sean Long – one of the great rugby league players – at Quins for a while. It was great picking his brains about the game. He also thought I could do well in League. I’d love to give it a go one day but at the moment I’m pretty happy what I’m doing in Union.
“I have a relative low centre of gravity and having that balance to being able to beat people that way is definitely something I try and use. I’ve always enjoyed a big challenge in my career. I was once told by a county coach that I was not big, quick or strong enough and would never make it in Union. He completely wrote me off but it also teaches you don’t let one person’s opinion stop your dream. That just inspired me to prove him wrong and go onto better things.”
There would no doubt be plenty of interest from League clubs to enlist Murley’s services. He has become a huge try-scoring weapon for Quins and another impressive display against European giants Toulouse today would certainly boost the back’s hopes of a busy summer with England.
He has had to wait patiently for his first senior Test cap having represented his country at junior level and more recently showed off his try-scoring prowess with a hat-trick in the A team’s hammering of Portugal.
Murley, who was in the 2023 Six Nations squad without getting a run out, insists: “The A side is a a good stepping stone to hopefully getting a first chance with the senior side. It’s a good progression from the academy, U20s and up to the seniors. Getting into that training environment and learning the same calls as the seniors.
“He (Steve Borthwick) is very good at keeping in contact and the communication open if you have any questions. He will ring you after a game to chat through things. I’ve chatted to the new defence coach Felix Jones who has come over from the world champions South Africa and picking his brain on my defence.”
Quins will need all their current and former Test stars to be on their best form to get the better of Antoine Dupont and his Toulouse stars who dished out a 64-26 thrashing to Exeter last time out.
The bookies make them huge outsiders to taste victory and reach a first final and join Leicester, Wasps, Bath, Northampton, Saracens and Exeter in climbing to the European summit.
But Quins went into Bordeaux’s backyard in the quarters and and upset them with a real show of bulldog fighting spirit, and Murley insists: “It’s a massive opportunity for us...a European semi-final and the first time we’ve ever been this far. Everyone has written us off but we like being the underdogs. We will give it everything we have.”