Maybe Michael can give them some advice on landing the big one.
The 2012 All-Ireland winning captain has touched down on France’s Massif Central to take part in this year’s #TheToughest Trade.
Donegal’s totem, Michael Murphy, is training with perennial Champions Cup challengers Clermont-Auvergne as part of this year’s AIB-sponsored experiment, which sees GAA stars swap their own code for a new sport, with a professional going in the other direction.
For this year’s show, Shane Williams has already braved the snow flurries of Donegal to score 0-4 for Glenswilly earlier this month. Now it is the turn of Murphy to mix it with the Top 14 giants.
Move over @murphm95 because @ShaneWilliams11 looks the part in your jersey! https://t.co/abuWNDqF8J #GAA #Donegal #TheToughest
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) January 13, 2017
The 27-year-old has arrived in central France, where the French club are currently celebrating a golden opportunity to gain revenge on their great rivals Toulon.
Drawn at home to the three-time champions in the quarter-finals, Joe Schmidt’s old team will potentially never have a better chance to break their European duck.
Having lost finals in 2013 and 2015 to Toulon, the home of the Top 14 leaders will no doubt be an upbeat place to train this week.
The French club will be putting Murphy through their paces as they prepare for Sunday’s trip to Bordeaux and, judging by the pictures they have posted to their Twitter account this morning, Murphy is settling in well.
#TheToughest @murphm95 @AIB_GAA is starting the day in the Training center of @ASMOfficiel with his new team #WelcomeMichael pic.twitter.com/31u8PeQcJj
— ASM Rugby (@ASMOfficiel) January 24, 2017
#TheToughest First Skills session with Xavier Sadourny, technical coach, for @murphm95 @officialgaa @AIB_GAA #WelcomeMichael #Michelin pic.twitter.com/PQ0NkKPj1v
— ASM Rugby (@ASMOfficiel) January 24, 2017
The towering midfielder/full-forward has the build of a rugby player, we all knew that, but it would seem he may have the hands too.
Throw him in against Bordeaux, be damned, let him square up to Ian Madigan and Adam Ashley-Cooper – that would make for some quality television.
No room for Clermont @ASMOfficiel's newest recruit @MurphM95 in Joe Schmidt’s 40 man squad. #TheToughest pic.twitter.com/xo6Hay7afI
— AIB_GAA (@AIB_GAA) January 23, 2017
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