The Outsider

Description

A gifted member of Ireland's 'golden generation' of rugby players tells his unusual story Geordan Murphy does not come from the leafy suburbs of south Dublin or the rugby hotbeds of Limerick or Cork. As a teenager he played Gaelic football for Kildare minors. But his greatest love, and his true genius, was for rugby. Playing outhalf, he led Newbridge College to the Leinster schools cup final - and was then left off the Irish schools team that toured Australia. 'He's not good enough,' a selector told his father. 'He's too slow.' Leinster didn't show much interest either, and so it was that a skinny but gifted kid from Naas ended up starting his club career at England's leading club, Leicester. Now nearing the end of a career that has seen him win over seventy Ireland caps - a number that a great many supporters and pundits believe should be considerably higher - Geordan Murphy tells his own story for the first time. It is a tale of phenomenal highs (including a Grand Slam and two Heineken Cups) and agonizing lows - none worse than the broken leg he suffered on the eve of the 2003 World Cup, when he was at the very top of his game. The Outsider is a frank, colourful chronicle of a career by a richly talented rugby player who developed, along the way, into a thinking man's rugby player.

Geordan Murphy was raised in Co. Kildare, and represented the county at minor level in Gaelic football before committing himself to rugby. He won 74 caps for Ireland before announcing his international retirement, and is club captain of Leicester. He was chosen for the 2005 Lions tour of New Zealand.

A delightful read ... brilliant * Rugby World * Bright, breezy, entertaining and revealing -- Gerry Thornley * Irish Times * Open, honest and entertaining * RTE Guide *