Having seen the incident myself, I can't quite figure out how Murphy did it, but the commentators seem to think he banged his leg awkwardly on landing. Once on the ground, Murphy clutched his leg instantly. The worst fears were confirmed later on, a statement being made that Murphy had suffered a "compound fracture" on his left tibia. He will be out of action for 4 months, missing most of the Leicester Tigers first half of the season and the possibly the opening Six Nations games.

Murphy, however, will be 29 when the next World Cup comes around whereas Rob Henderson will no longer be on the rugby scene. The Irish centre is out of the World Cup also, after tearing a bicep playing for Munster against Leinster.

Ireland's win was convincing though the whole team seemed to droop after what happened to Murphy. EOS will name his squad tomorrow [Sunday September 7th].

On a personal note, I think the loss of Murphy is absolutely crucial. Having watched him play for the Leicester Tigers for many years and watched him change from being a half-decent player to a World class player, one of the brightest talents in the game, this must be a huge blow for him. Many wishes for a speedy recovery and his return to the rugby field.

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