VIDEO CLIPS View Tom Van Vollenhoven Try - set up by Alex Murphy and Alan Prescott. "How good is Murphy?"
Click the Link to view http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5ctXMD8BjE
A clip from Alex Murphy's 3 hour interview with www.narlvi.co.uk. Murphy is regarded by many as the greatest Rugby player of all time.
To view just click the Link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gkcu_hSuPAY

VIDEO CLIPS -
View St Helens famous South African Flyer, Tom Van Vollenhoven Try - set up by Alex Murphy and Alan Prescott. "How good is Murphy?" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5ctXMD8BjE

A clip from Alex Murphy's 3 hour interview with www.narlvi.co.uk. Murphy is regarded by many as the greatest Rugby player of all time. click the Link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gkcu_hSuPAY

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As a 14 year old I'd conned my way into travelling down to London with two mates to watch the 1971 Challenge Cup Final, Leeds vs Leigh, and as every British RL fan knows this was the infamous final when the first ever player to be sent off at Wembley was ..... Leeds' Sid Hynes for a remarkable single punch to the chin of the Leigh meastro Alex Murphy - a punch which laid Murphy out cold and out of the game.

Or so we thought.

As Sid marched off towards the dressing rooms, Murphy was laid out, still apparently unconcious, on a stretcher and carried off the pitch towards the dressing room tunnel which just happened to be at the Leeds end and right underneath where me and my two mates were standing.

As the stretcher bearers carried Murphy down the tunnel, and with us Leeds supporters thinking we'd got the game won, what with Murphy being dead and all, Murphy suddenly sat bolt upright, jumped off the stretcher, gave us Leeds fans a wave and ran straight back onto the pitch to lead his team to a famous victory.

It was a long four hour bus ride back up the M1 for us defeated supporters, and we couldn't help thinking that Mr Murphy had pulled off the greatest recovery since Lazarus was revived from the dead (the bloke in the bible, not Glenn).

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A comment and nomination from Steve Yeomans concerning Mike Nicholas......with links to Murphy

I would like to nominate Mike Nicholas a fiery Welshman who had many a set to with Jim Mills in the 70's.

It is alledged that he was returning back to Wales, having played kick'n'clap in Scotland and turned up at Warrington asking for a trial.

Alex Murphy, who was the coach at the time, was alledged to have told the committee to either sign him or get rid of him before he does too much damage.

(Is there anyone out there who would like to second Steve's nomination of Mike Nicholas - contact Quigs)

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When the head groundsman at Twickers retired they asked him who was the best fly half (union for Stand off) he ever saw play at Twickers. He had no doubt, of all the English, the three home union, the frogs, the southern hemisphere players he saw play over 30 odd years he nominated Alex Murphy. During his time in the RAF on National service he played hunt-grunt-shunt-and-punt for the RAF as a fly half.

What might have been. In 1966 the tour party was about to be named and it appeared that Harry Poole the Leeds 2nd row forward who was at the end of his career was to be named captain. Murph thought he should have been captain of the tour squad but had the nod he would be test captain as Pooley wasn't sure of a test place. Bill Ramsey, John Mantle, Dave Robinson looked to be the front runners for the back three. So instead of touring a third time after much success on the 62 and 58 tours he opted not to tour. Rumour was he was miffed at being used on tour as a center rather than scrum half or stand off. At the time Alan Hardisty and Tommy Bishop were at their peak. However in the papers Murph said he didn't want to be used as captain for the tests regardless of what position he played, when another tour captain was picked.

Harry Poole didn't play the tests, Workington forward Brian Edgar captained the test team in all 3 tests on Oz. A center was called up, Ian Brook from Wakefield Trinity as they were in those days. He played in all 5 tests on tour. I'm sure with Murph as tour captain GB would have won the series instead of losing it 2-1. Sure the reffing was diabolical as usual. But Murph knew how to win, he knew how to get the best out of his team. This takes nothing away from Brian Edgar who led by example on his third tour. That Murph was still playing international football in 71 shows that he could have done GB proud in 66.

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Huddersfield v St Helens. RL semi final 1963 ( I think)

Peter Ramsden Huddersfield hard man and loose forward flatten St Helens legend wingman Tom Van Vollenhoven.

Van Vollenhoven on the burst, Murphy in support

A furious Alex Murphy retaliated. Both Ramsden and Murphy were sent off and Vollenhoven carried off.

Thus Ramsden eliminated St Helens top 2 stars and Hudds won through to the final.

View Tom Van Vollenhoven Try - set up by Alex Murphy and Alan Prescott. "How good is Murphy?"
Click the Link to view http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5ctXMD8BjE

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INTERVIEW WITH MURPHY.
Cup heroes: Alex Murphy

"People said that I feigned injury and that I winked when I was on the stretcher" Alex Murphy on his 1971 clash with Syd Hynes

Alex Murphy insists Leigh's shock win over Leeds in 1971 is the sweetest of his Challenge Cup final successes.

The irrepressible Murphy is the only player to captain three different sides to victory in the competition.

He led St Helens to success in 1966; followed that up with a win over Leeds as both player-coach of Leigh five years later; then lifted the trophy as Warrington's player-boss in 1974.

But it was Leigh's victory that gave him the most pleasure.

"A lot of people underestimated that Leigh side but we had some outstanding players in David Eckersley, Kevin Ashcroft and David Chisnall," Murphy told BBC Sport.

"Leeds were 5/1 on to win the Cup. They also had a side loaded with internationals.

"But the way we approached the final was tremendous and we won the match well.

"That win probably gave me the greatest pleasure of any win at Wembley."

Murphy wasn't on the pitch when the final hooter went.

He had been stretchered off after being headbutted by Leeds captain Syd Hynes on 65 minutes, by which time Leigh were already well on the way to victory.

"Syd told me on the morning of the game that he and his team were on £5,000 a man to win the Challenge Cup," Murphy recalled.

"So I think he got a little frustrated when he could see that it was not going to happen.

"People said that I feigned injury and that I winked when I was on the stretcher.

"Well, I can honestly say that I might have blinked but I didn't wink! I really did take a knock and woke up in the dressing room being attended to by the Wembley doctor."

Murphy also delights in St Helens' defeat of Wigan in 1966, which gave him the first of his Challenge Cup successes.

"When I captained Saints to victory over Wigan, we had a team of stars who could score from anywhere on the pitch," he told BBC Sport.

"No-one expected him even to attempt a kick at goal, never mind grab two points" , Murphy on Len Killeen's monster kick in the 1966 final

"It turned out to be a comfortable victory, but the most pleasing aspect for me that day was to see our South African winger, Len Killeen, kick a penalty goal from 65 yards out.

"No-one expected him even to attempt a kick at goal, never mind grab two points.

"But in training during the week, I had seen him kick a similar goal and he told me to give him a chance if ever Saints were awarded a penalty in a similar position at Wembley.

"We got such a chance, I told him to try for a goal, and he kicked it. It was a great thrill."

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Murph the mouth, as some called him,the stories are endless i guess.

The one i pick was this ..In a cuptie at home many years ago the game was in the dying minutes with saints a couple of points down ..a kick by Saints was sent downfield towards the posts..

Murphy was first to dive on the loose ball and claimed the match winning try , those behind the posts swear to this day it wasn,t ..

At the whistle, moments later one of the oppostion, i have a feeling it was hull kr or bradford went to Murph and said "you cheating little so and so, that was never a try ".."oh no, said Alex, well look in the morning papers..".

Alex still alive and well, still helping at Leigh and still as cocky as ever.

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08

Story by

Club supported by author

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Date of Submission

John Allison, St Helens, Wales

Widnes

Late 60's

29/06/2006

09

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From Memorable Match No 17 - Click here to read more

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27/11/2006

10

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Trevor Dickinson, Barrow in Furness, England

St Helens

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05/05/2007

11

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Kevin Blackwell, England

Hull Kingston Rovers

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28/03/2007

12

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Thomas Baynham, Cheshire UK

Warrington

1959

29/06/08

13

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club

1970

00/00/2005

14

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1970

00/00/2005

15

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1970

00/00/2005

16

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club

1970

00/00/2005