Robinson Singles Out Murphy

England coach Andy Robinson has talked up the attacking threat that Ireland full-back Geordan Murphy poses, ahead of Sunday’s eagerly-awaited RBS Six Nations clash at Lansdowne Road.

Robinson – who claimed yesterday the chances of Murphy’s Leicester team mate Lewis Moody (infected finger) making the game, are “very slim” – knows his side are up against a potent Ireland.

A side which he feels now have that ‘winning-belief’.

“They have been through a number of difficulties by losing odd matches, but the side has stayed together,” conceded Robinson.

“You know when a side stays together – as England had a couple of years ago – a side finds belief and wins tight games. They beat Argentina; they held on to beat South Africa.

“They are a side with belief; plus the threat of (Brian) O’Driscoll is always massive – and we as a coaching team really respect (full-back) Geordan Murphy. He has always played well against us.”

Murphy, who moved to Leicester from Naas RFC in 1997, told BBC Sport earlier this week: “Andy Robinson is a very shrewd coach and I believe he has been a tad unlucky in the last two games when they lost by the one score.

He’s a very crafty coach and he is sure to have a few tricks up his sleeve.

There are so many people billing us favourites and it is a bit of a strange scenario.

But to be honest it’s a good thing, and it’s nice turnaround for us. Last season the shoe was on the other foot,” added Murphy – scoreless against the men-in-white in two Tests.

While Murphy will prove a concern for Robinson’s rearguard, Sir Clive Woodward’s former assistant is also wary of not offering any chinks of lights to the Irish front eight.

“We must look to dominate field position in this game and not give them any opportunities,” he said.

“They have a very streetwise pack. They have dominated sides because of their ability to put the ball into corners and squeeze the life out of teams.

“The lineout is going to be a huge battle. You look at the way they tore us apart in the line-out last year.”

Eddie O’Sullivan’s side famously forced eleven steals on England hooker Steve Thompson’s lineout throw in last March’s 19-13 Twickenham win.

On flanker Moody’s injury – a cut which initially came about in England’s 18-17 loss to champions France – Robinson stated: “The mud got into it (against Newcastle last week). He has had a big course of antibiotics but they haven’t done the job we hoped they would.”

Moody – the youngest of the England pack at 26, bar Thompson and relative newcomer, Bath Prop Matt Stevens (22) – is currently on a drip in a London hospital, while the England squad flew into Dublin yesterday.

Robinson’s one change from the French game sees Stevens deputising at tighthead for broken arm-victim Phil Vickery.