'I struggled to see where I'd fit in at Leinster'

Ireland Under-20s fly-half Jack Murphy says joining Ulster was a "pretty easy decision" aft he "struggled" to spot really he was going to "fit in" amidst fierce title successful his position astatine Leinster.

Murphy, whose begetter Richie took complete arsenic Ulster caput coach earlier this year, will nexus up pinch nan academy up of nan 2024-25 season.

The 19-year-old is nan U20s' starting fly-half and impressed successful this year's U20s Six Nations, but Leinster are well-stocked successful his position pinch Ross Byrne, Harry Byrne, Sam Prendergast and Ciaran Frawley each options for nan 10 jersey.

"At nan infinitesimal location are a batch of apical value out-halves Leinster person and I benignant of struggled to spot wherever I was going to fresh successful and wherever I was going to play successful nan adjacent fewer years," said Murphy.

"I conscionable thought that location was a bully opportunity successful Ulster successful nan out-half position to effort and push for nan out-half position complete nan adjacent fewer years.

"I benignant of had nan determination made successful my caput earlier Richie had ended up successful Ulster; it was a beautiful easy determination for me."

While Leinster person extent astatine fly-half, Ulster person been forced to dip into nan marketplace up of adjacent play pursuing Billy Burns' departure to Munster.

Jake Flannery, who Ulster signed from Munster successful 2022, has started a fistful of games astatine 10 while Irish-qualified erstwhile New Zealand U20 world Aidan Morgan has been signed to bolster Richie Murphy's hand.

"They are really bully players," said Murphy of his caller team-mates.

"There are little out-halves than location are successful Leinster. I don’t cognize wherever I fresh successful astatine nan infinitesimal but aft nan (U20) World Cup I tin get up location and train and play good there.

"Hopefully I tin get a fewer opportunities to play adjacent (season)".

While a caller section successful his nine profession awaits adjacent season, Murphy is presently preparing for this summer's World Rugby U20 Championship successful South Africa arsenic portion of a 35-man squad nether caller Irish caput coach Willie Faloon.

Murphy started each 5 of Ireland's U20 Six Nations matches this year, scoring 52 points arsenic they relinquished their title to England pursuing a melodramatic last information of games.

There was besides heartache for Ireland astatine past year's U20 World Championship, losing to France successful nan last successful Cape Town.

Captain Evan O’Connell - nephew of Ireland awesome Paul - Brian Gleeson, Danny Sheahan, Hugh Gavin, and Sam Berman are nan 5 members of nan squad who featured successful past year's tournament, but Murphy is wished to usage his Six Nations wounded arsenic substance for nan tourney successful South Africa.

"Me and nan different lads are really driven now.

"It's fixed america thing to spell aft for this World Cup. There was a spot of wounded aft nan Six Nations truthful we're trying to put that into nan World Cup this twelvemonth and spell all-out astatine it."

With breathtaking opportunities pinch nine and state connected nan horizon, Murphy is hoping to travel successful nan footsteps of Jack Crowley, who has succeeded Johnny Sexton arsenic Ireland's starting fly-half aft winning a triple crown pinch nan U20s during nan Covid-hit 2020 Six Nations.

Munster's Crowley already has a Six Nations and United Rugby Championship title tucked away, pinch Murphy aspiring to a akin level of occurrence erstwhile he is an established elder player.

"To spot him now being truthful successful early successful his career, playing good for Ireland is decidedly refreshing to see, a young feline successful there.

"In rugby you get aged rather quickly. If you are bully capable erstwhile you are 23 aliases 24 for illustration Jack is you tin beryllium successful that Irish team. That’s refreshing to spot for each nan of lads successful nan 20s."

He added: "You decidedly return assurance from that if things spell good for you successful nan 20s and a mates of years aft that you could beryllium pushing to play successful a greenish jersey again."