Jordi Murphy has burning aim to lift trophy with Ulster

The 30-times Irish capped flanker was part of the Leinster team that beat Racing 92 15-12 to win the 2018 European Rugby Champions Cup.

Murphy also won three Pro Rugby titles with his native province in 2013, 2014 and 2018 and at international level, he was part of the Ireland team that won back-to-back Six Nations titles in 2014 and 2015, and was a member of the squad that won the Grand Slam in 2018.

Murphy also got Ireland’s first try when they beat the All Blacks for the first time in Chicago during the 2016 autumn internationals.

He hasn’t added any more winner’s medals to his collection following his move from Leinster to Ulster in 2018, but the province is only three games away from European Challenge cup glory and the back row is hoping his big game mentality can help the side in Saturday night’s last eight clash away at Northampton.

“I certainly hope so,” said Murphy.

“No one in this squad had won anything with Ulster but there have been a number of internationals who have won silverware and they can definitely bring that experience: the likes of Iain (Henderson) and those boys and we have Ian Madigan who joined us this year and he has won plenty in his time as well.

“We have got to kind of measure ourselves in silverware, that is kind of our standard I think.

“It would be great to win something with this group, there is a lot of rugby to be played but it is an exciting time,” he added.

“Dan always talks about being consistently competing for championships and this is the one that is in front of us at the moment, silverware is exactly what we want and we are going to be putting our best foot forward every single time we play these kind of games.

“Personally and from our point of view, trophies are what we are after and we are in this competition to do as well as we can, we are fully focused on it.”

Due to a combination of injury and rotation, Northampton weren’t at their strongest away to the Dragons in the last round but two late tries saw them progress and Murphy is expecting a tough battle at Franklin’s Gardens.

“First and foremost [it will be] a very physical challenge, like [playing against] any English side you have to up your physicality, it has to be at a really good level going over there,” he said.

“Obviously they are a proud side, they put out a pretty strong team against Dragons and imagine they will do the same this week.

“They will be taking the competition seriously so we are going to have to be at our best to beat anyone we go up against now.

“Northampton are a proud side and like I said we look forward to the challenge this weekend.”

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