Geordan Murphy gets a rare start for Ireland when he faces Italy in Rome tomorrow but insists he does not care where he plays as he stakes his claim for a permanent place in the team.

Having come on as a substitute for injured wing Shane Horgan in last Sunday's RBS 6 Nations opener against Scotland and stealing the show with a brilliant breakaway try to kill off the home side's hopes, Murphy could start at either wing or in his preferred position of full-back if regular number 15 Girvan Dempsey fails to shake off a niggling groin strain.

Concern for team-mates aside, he doesn't care one where he ends up as he explained: ``I'm just delighted to be picked in the starting line-up.

``I really enjoyed my run on the wing last week and I've enjoyed playing full-back for Leicester so it doesn't really make much of a difference at this level.

``The way the Irish are playing the game now I'm going to get as much ball on the wing as I am at full-back so I don't really mind.

``Girvan's picked to play at full-back and he wants to play and I support him completely. I'm there on the wing and fingers' crossed he'll be fit and can pull through.

``If he doesn't we'll just go with the contingency plan and John Kelly will step up and we'll work with that combination. There's no preference whatsoever.''

But full-back is where Murphy is happiest, for club and country.

He continued: ``I've made no secret of the fact I enjoy playing at full-back a little bit more and thankfully this year Leicester have started to pay attention to me.

``I think they always knew but I played my first game back from injury there during the summer against an Italian side and played pretty well and got some good raps from the Leicester management.

``So they said to me 'maybe we'll keep you there' and I've played pretty much all season for Leicester at full-back. It's been a case of keeping Tim Stimpson out and he's been playing on the wing.''

Murphy's Murrayfield try was his ninth in 12 internationals, a fantastic strike-rate which makes his non-appearances all the more mystifying.

He is, though, diplomatic, adding: ``To be quite honest, there is a lot more to rugby than scoring tries.

``In fairness, all I can do to get myself picked is to try and play my best.

``Fortunately, I've played for Ireland 12 times, which is a great honour. Obviously I would like to play more but I don't pick the team - the management do and it's up to me to impress them.

``In saying that, obviously we've already got quality players in the side and, thankfully, it puts them in a tough position.

``That is the great luxury in Irish rugby at the minute.''

Ireland: G Dempsey (Leinster) or G Murphy (Leicester); Murphy or J Kelly (Munster), B O'Driscoll (Leinster, Capt), K Maggs (Bath), D Hickie (Leinster); D Humphreys (Ulster), P Stringer (Munster); R Corrigan (Leinster), S Byrne (Leinster), J Hayes (Munster), G Longwell (Ulster), M O'Kelly (Leinster), V Costello (Leinster), K Gleeson (Leinster), A Foley (Munster)

Replacements: F Sheahan (Munster), M Horan (Munster), L Cullen (Leinster), A Quinlan (Munster), G Easterby (Llanelli), P Burke (Harlequins), R Henderson (Munster)