Frank Murphy (rugby union)
Birth name | Frank Murphy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Date of birth | 2 December 1983 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Cork Ireland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 83 kg (13.1 st) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | Coláiste Muire[1] CBC Cork | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
University | University College Cork | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Frank Murphy (born 2 December 1983)
Murphy began refereeing in the
Early life
Murphy grew up in Crosshaven, a village in south County Cork, and began his playing career with the local team, Crosshaven RFC. In his final year of secondary school, he went on to play with Christian Brothers College, Cork. While playing with the Christian Brothers team, he won the Munster Schools Senior Cup, beating Rockwell College in the final.
Playing career
Munster
Murphy went on to play at senior level for his native provincial team,
In the
Leicester Tigers
Murphy joined Leicester ahead of the 2006–07 season, and was one of a number of Irishmen in a Tigers squad that included
In his second season with Leicester, Murphy featured in fewer Premiership games, but played more often in European matches. He played in 13
Connacht
Murphy moved to Connacht ahead of the 2008–09 season. He made his debut for the side in the 2008–09 Celtic League against Welsh side the Ospreys on 5 September 2008, starting for Connacht and playing the full match.[8] Murphy made 16 appearances in the league that season, starting in all but one of these games.[9] Murphy made his European debut for the province on 10 October 2008 against French side Dax in the 2008–09 European Challenge Cup. He started in six games for Connacht in the cup as they finished as runners-up in their pool and made it to the quarter-finals of the competition.[6]
In the 2009–10 season, Murphy continued as Connacht's first choice scrum-half. He played in 14 of Connacht's 18 games in the
In the 2011–12 season, Connacht qualified for their first ever Heineken Cup. Ahead of Connacht's first season in the top tier of European rugby, the team signed another scrum-half, Paul O'Donohoe from Leinster.[11] Murphy remained Connacht's first choice in the position, playing 20 games in the 2011–12 league, which had been renamed the Pro12.[9] In the Heineken Cup, however, Murphy started only two of the side's six games, coming on as a replacement in a further two.[6]
Ahead of the 2012–13 season Murphy suffered a cruciate ligament injury, which kept him out for most of the season. At the same time a hamstring injury sidelined O'Donohoe.[12] In their absence, academy scrum-half Kieran Marmion excelled, and went on to start every game that season.[13] Murphy mad only a single substitute appearance that season, coming in the 2012–13 Pro12.[9]
Marmion continued as Connacht's first choice in the 2013–14 season, with Murphy and O'Donohoe mostly making appearances as replacements. On 27 December 2013 Murphy made his one hundredth appearance for Connacht, starting against his former team Munster in the Pro12, in a 22–16 defeat. In total, Murphy made seven appearances in the league for the season, six of these appearances coming from the bench.[9] In Europe, Murphy played in only one game during the season, coming off the bench in a famous victory over Toulouse in the 2013–14 Heineken Cup.[6][14]
In April 2014, it was announced that Murphy's contract with Connacht was not being renewed and he would be leaving the province at the end of the season. He was one of a number of high-profile departures that included fellow centurion Gavin Duffy and former Scottish international fly-half Dan Parks.[15] Murphy retired from professional rugby after leaving Connacht.[16]
Refereeing career
Following his retirement from playing rugby, Murphy started to work as a referee in the sport as a way of staying in the game. Murphy progressed quickly through the
References
- ^ "Colaiste Muire Homepage". Archived from the original on 7 May 2008. Retrieved 30 June 2008.
- ^ "Frank Murphy".
- ^ "Newport Gwent Dragons 29 - 6 Munster Rugby". RaboDirectPRO12. 17 October 2003. Archived from the original on 24 January 2014. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
- ^ a b "Munster Squad Index: Frank Murphy". RaboDirectPRO12. Archived from the original on 13 May 2014. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
- ^ a b "Player Profile: Frank Murphy". Premiership Rugby. Archived from the original on 12 May 2014. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Player Archive: Frank Murphy". ERC. Archived from the original on 12 May 2014. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
- ^ "Premiership final". BBC. 12 May 2007. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
- ^ "Connacht Rugby 3 - 16 Ospreys". RaboDirectPRO12. 5 September 2008. Archived from the original on 27 March 2014. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f "Connacht Squad Index: Frank Murphy". Archived from the original on 12 May 2014. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
- ^ "Murphy to captain Connacht for opener". RTÉ Sport. 3 September 2010. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
- ^ "O'Donohoe makes move to Connacht". RTÉ Sport. 20 April 2011. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
- ^ "Connacht in green hands as scrum-half Frank Murphy faces six months out". The Score. 19 September 2012. Archived from the original on 5 May 2014. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
- ^ "Marmion signs new Connacht deal". Setanta Sport. 4 November 2013. Archived from the original on 6 January 2014. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
- ^ "Connacht diehards shock French aristocrats". Irish Examiner. 8 December 2013. Retrieved 9 December 2013.
- ^ "Parks leads Connacht outgoings". Irish Independent. 29 April 2014. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
- ^ a b "Refereeing Promotions For Former Players Murphy And Neville". Irish Rugby. 17 February 2015. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ^ "Scarlets VS Bedford Blues Match overview British and Irish Cup 15/16". StatBunker. 15 November 2015. Retrieved 14 January 2017.
- ^ "Former Connacht and Munster scrum-half Frank Murphy to ref his first Pro12 game". The42. 23 November 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2017.