Murphy on Ireland, Lancaster at Connacht and family success

Murphy scored nine tries in 16 games in his first season with Connacht in 2024-25

This summer, another door will open for Ben Murphy.

A year ago, he was packing his bags and heading west after agreeing to join Connacht from Leinster.

It has proved a fruitful step. While he admits the province's 2024-25 season was "up and down", his progress was smooth.

He played 16 times and scored nine tries. Earlier this year, he was a training panellist on Ireland's Six Nations squad.

But now, with the country's frontline stars on British and Irish Lions duty, the 24-year-old scrum-half is keen to impress while swapping the green of Connacht for the similarly shaded Test jersey.

"From the outside looking in, it [receiving an Ireland call-up] probably would have been far-fetched," he admits.

"But I kind of felt that with the movements this year, Lions year and all that, that there was going to be an opportunity for a young scrum-half to come into the squad and I just wanted to put my best foot forward to be the one to be in that position.

"Thankfully I got an opportunity earlier with Connacht. I've managed to push forward and get into the squad so [I'm] delighted."

Murphy believes Connacht's fortunes will be transformed under Lancaster

After Ireland's summer's Tests against Georgia and Portugal, Murphy will return to the winds of change in Galway, with former England boss and Leinster senior coach Stuart Lancaster having recently taken the reins.

Murphy previously crossed paths with Lancaster while he was coming through the Leinster academy.

"I didn't feel we were too far away from being very good [last season]," added Murphy, who flourished in the latter stages of Pete Wilkins' tenure.

"And I think Stu has the ability to take us to that next step. He's been left a good foundation by the staff that were there last year but were ready to take that next step obviously next year."

With Ben on the cusp of a Test debut and his younger brother Jack establishing himself in the Ulster first-team under dad/head coach Richie, it has been a whirlwind couple of years for the Murphy clan.

"Yeah its been busy for my mum anyway," he smiled.

"She's been up and down the road a lot from Belfast to Galway to wherever. It has been hugely exciting obviously. Ulster have had their ups and downs as well as us.

"We've kind of been on a similar journey I feel. And Jack the same. Young half-back, learning his trade but he's starting to come into his own now. Massively exciting times for everyone."