Maties sevens rugby player, James Murphy, has been called up to the Blitzbokke squad for the upcoming HSBC sevens tournament in Hong Kong next week and says he is not so much nervous as overwhelmed.
“It’s quite overwhelming, I didn’t expect it at all -they were literally choosing between me and a few other guys who are actually contracted and have been on academy tours and I haven’t,” Murphy said when asked how it felt making the team.
Murphy (22), who studied BCom Management at Stellenbosch University (SU), played five years of hockey in high school and was only filling the numbers for the Academia rugby team in his first year.
After playing for the Maties Young Guns and eventually the Maties Varsity Cup team, the transition into the shorter format of the game was a no-brainer as he felt he needed to become the full package in the shortest possible time, and he says sevens was the platform to do so.
“I had a lot to learn and for sevens you need to be the full package.”
The announcement of the Blitzbokke team was made on Thursday and he says it still hasn’t sunk in. “We had our photoshoot where we tried on our jerseys and there were goosebumps everywhere – it didn’t really feel real,” he explained after being asked what it means to represent his country.
“However, making this team did not just happen overnight,” he says. Due to the Johannesburg-born player not playing rugby in high school, many almost doubted him or didn’t take him seriously when training over the past few years.
Murphy executing a pass during a training session. PHOTO: Eunice Visagie.
Murphy catching the ball during a line out in practice. PHOTO: Eunice Visagiae
“It’s actually quite emotional because quite a lot of people saw me training, putting in extra effort when at Maties, and were like ‘what is this guy doing?’ and that’s why it’s so rewarding because I kept telling myself I must give myself the best possible chance of making it.”
Murphy credits the Maties Rugby Club at SU as a major factor to making it this far. He says the club gave him the best possible platform in terms of facilities and transparency for any help.
“To represent Maties at even under-19 level was unreal and it was at Maties where my rugby was made 110%.”
Murphy also credits his father, Patrick Murphy (53), for being the main motivator and inspiration on this short but fruitful journey. He says his dad has supported him in high school, no matter the sport or knowledge about hockey.
Murphy (right) credits his father Patrick Murphy (left) (53), who played rugby for Natal, as his main motivator. PHOTO: Given
“My biggest motivator throughout everything has been my dad and obviously my whole family – they managed to keep me sane through injuries,” Murphy said.
On the technical side of things he believes most, if not all, credit is down to his Maties sevens coach Ian Campbell-Mcgeachy (36). “Ian made me what I am today, at under-19 level he told me he was going to make me a Blitzbokke rugby player one day.”
Murphy (left) and his Maties Coach Ian Campbell-Mcgeachy (Right). PHOTO: Given
Campbell-Mcgeachy says being part of a players dream, as a coach, is rewarding and says it is good to know that the Maties sevens structure is producing the goods in order for the players to get to the highest level.
On how far he thinks Murphy can go, Campbell-Mcgeachy said: “It all depends on how hard Jamo, as his friends and family call him, is willing to work.”
The tournament in Hong Kong, which takes place on 6-8 April, is all Murphy has on his mind at the moment. However, he is also hoping to make the team for the University World Sevens World Cup which takes place in Namibia over the winter break.
Murphy’s long term future, he says, is to stay in South Africa and do everything in his power to represent his country as many times as he can.