Sentiment? What sentiment? Leicester leave out Geordan Murphy for his final game

Leicester could never be accused of being softies and certainly no sentiment was shown to Geordan Murphy ahead of his final professional game this weekend.

By Declan Whooley

The 35 year-old brings down the curtain of his glittering rugby career this weekend and despite being at the club since 1997, Leicester Director of Rugby Richard Cockerill hasleft the full-back out of the 23 man squad to face Northampton in Saturday’s Aviva Premiership Final. And sentiment is definitely not getting in the way.

“Geordan has done his bit,” he told reporters. “If Geordan was the best player available, he'd be in the team. At the moment, his form doesn't merit that. This occasion is not about Geordan or any of the people who are leaving us."

Cockerill is mindful of the fact that a great deal was made of Martin Johnson and Neil Back’s retirement in 2005, something he felt overshadowed that year’s final, a game they lost to Wasps.

“Everyone spent the week talking about the fact that it was Martin Johnson's last game for the club, and Neil Back's too," he said. “Wasps? They kept their heads down during the build-up and won 39-14. We have to concentrate on the detail, not the emotion.”

While of course we are disappointed for Geordan on his final day, we wish him all the best next season when he takes up a role in the backroom team at Welford Road.