Family fortunes as Ulster Rugby coach Richie Murphy prepares to face his son in interpro clash

Richie Murphy with his son back in 2018
-Credit: (Image: Pres Bray Rugby Facebook)


Murphy's law will be enforced at Kingspan Stadium - one way or the other - as Ulster host Connacht in Saturday night's interpro.

Ulster boss Richie Murphy is coming up against his son - the in-form Connacht scrum-half Ben - with this URC fourth round clash just shy of the full family complement. Another son, Jack, is travelling home with Emerging Ireland instead of being with the Ulster squad for this one.

Murphy junior has made a red-hot start to his time with the westerners, scoring three tries in three games since his move from Leinster, and will reunite with his new half-back partner Josh Ioane after the All Black passed his return to play protocols.

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"It's a very unique situation," said dad Richie, who is hoping to get back to winning ways after back to back defeats in South Africa, on facing his son.

Murphy senior even joked that Ben wouldn't tell him if he would be in the Connacht team in Belfast - and added that while he was happy he had started well, he didn't want that form to continue against Ulster.

"He's had a really good start to the season," continued Richie. "Obviously he moved down to Galway in the summer and has fitted in really well.

"Like every young player when they make these moves, if they get the opportunity, it gives them the opportunity to take it and that's what he's done. It's great to see him doing so well, but not this week."

Connacht are looking for a third win on the spin and head coach Pete Wilkins admits he was delighted to sign Ben - and that he has got off to a flying start.

A picture of Ulster Head Coach Richie Murphy
Ulster Head Coach Richie Murphy -Credit:INPHO/Steve Haag Sports/

"Technically, he has the kicking and passing game you want in a scrum-half," said Wilkins. "And what that means is you have someone you can really rely on with consistency in terms of facilitating the way the team plays.

"When he arrived, it was clear he was already on top of the charts in terms of fitness and that is also important to how we want to play the game.

"The speed of our nine getting to each attacking breakdown is enormously important to us so that became very clear to us very early on.

"What we saw against Munster is he has a running game and an ability to take opportunities as they arrive.

"There's an instinctive nature to his game that maybe we hadn’t a chance to see in the limited amount of appearances he had for Leinster, so we're really pleased for him."

Andy Warwick will make his 200th Ulster appearance tonight, with Alan O’Connor set to follow suit off the bench, while starting No.8 Nick Timoney reaches the 150 cap mark for the province.

Ulster: Ethan McIlroy, Werner Kok, Stewart Moore, Jude Postlethwaite, Jacob Stockdale, Aidan Morgan, John Cooney; Andrew Warwick, John Andrew, Tom O’Toole, Iain Henderson (c), Kieran Treadwell, David McCann, Sean Reffell, Nick Timoney.

Replacements: James McCormick, Eric O’Sullivan, Corrie Barrett, Alan O’Connor, Marcus Rea, Nathan Doak, Ben Carson, Mike Lowry

Connacht: Santiago Cordero, Mack Hansen, Piers O’Conor, Bundee Aki, Shayne Bolton, Josh Ioane, Ben Murphy; Denis Buckley, Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham, Joe Joyce, Josh Murphy, Cian Prendergast (c), Sean O’Brien, Paul Boyle;

Replacements: Dylan Tierney-Martin, Peter Dooley, Temi Lasisi, Oisin Dowling, David O’Connor, Caolin Blade, Cathal Forde, Conor Oliver

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