Irish Rugby
Murphy poised to quit Ireland
ESPNscrum Staff
November 1, 2011
Ireland's Geordan Murphy is halted by Todd Clever, Ireland v USA Eagles, Rugby World Cup, New Plymouth, New Zealand, September 11, 2011
Geordan Murphy has made 72 appearances for Ireland since making his debut in 2000 © Getty Images
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Ireland fullback Geordan Murphy has admitted that he is likely to announce his retirement from international rugby before next year's Six Nations.

The Leicester Tigers captain made two appearances for his country during the Rugby World Cup, starting against the United States of America and featuring as a replacement in the meeting with Russia.

However, Murphy, now 33, did not even make the bench for the quarter-final defeat to Wales and feels that now might be the right time to bring the curtain down on his Test career.

"I haven't made a concrete decision yet but I'm heading that way," he said. "I spoke to [Ireland head coach] Declan Kidney at the end of the World Cup. I'm weighing up my options at the moment and I'll probably make a call on it just before the Six Nations."

Murphy, though, does not believe that fellow veterans Brian O'Driscoll, Ronan O'Gara and Paul O'Connell are also pondering their international futures.

"I don't think many of them will hang up their boots," he said. "If you're based in Ireland, you're centrally contracted so it wouldn't be smart to retire."

Murphy made his Test debut against the United States in Manchester in the summer of 2000, marking the occasion with a brace of tries, and has since gone on to earn 72 caps for his country.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

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