Murphy saves a smile for friends across the divide

It could be the end of a beautiful friendship. Geordan Murphy, Ireland's full-back, has been ensconced in England as a Leicester player for almost six years, but the house he bought and shared with a fellow Tiger, Lewis Moody, is on the market.

Murphy's contract at Leicester is up for negotiation, not that he is necessarily going anywhere. Moody is engaged to be married, and definitely on the move. Throw in an impending Anglo-Irish Grand Slam face-off, and a Life Laundry moment surely beckons.

No chance. Clubmates, housemates – just mates – Murphy and Moody are not about to let a little thing like a Six Nations decider come between them.

"I'll be over in Dublin," said Moody, who might have been playing for England but for an injured shoulder. "Whoever wins, I'll be happy, because if Ireland do it, I'll feel good for Geordie."

Murphy smiled at the kind words, but pointed out: "I'd say if Lewis was playing it'd be a different kettle of fish."

Murphy joined Leicester in 1997, and began house-sharing with Moody in the city a couple of years later. They were both 20. When a place in need of renovation became available in the village of Houghton, they went in as partners.

Along the way they have shared in two Heineken Cup wins and four Premiership titles. Murphy comes from a large family – Ross, one of his four brothers, is putting Moody up during his visit – and a happy home away from home would, you sense, be important to him.

"Geordie can't drive," said Moody, in mock put-upon tones, "so he has to come with me wherever I go. We spend most afternoons in Starbucks in the town, having a coffee and a chit-chat."

Moody would have given his right arm to be pulling on the white jersey at Lansdowne Road, but his shoulder said otherwise. An operation that followed his appearance in England's first Six Nations match against France has put him out of action until June at the earliest.

Murphy lasted only the first eight minutes of last year's match at Twickenham, whereas Moody appeared in the second half of England's 45-11 win. Moody played five minutes as a substitute in England's 2001 defeat in Dublin, when Murphy was not selected. The only time they have faced each other on a rugby field was in an Under-21 match.

"The likelihood is that I'll stay with Leicester," said Murphy. "My girlfriend's in London, so I'd probably rent from one of the guys. Lewis has got his lovely fiancée to worry about now. There's no more fun for Lewis."

Well, maybe just a bit of fun. With Murphy busy training in Dublin, the telephone has been buzzing with banter. But Moody is deadly serious over the threat Murphy represents to England's chances of victory.

"Will it be an advantage that the England boys know him? It's like the Irish saying they know Jason Robinson, and how to mark him.

"No one knows what Geordan's going to do because he's off the cuff. He's the most gifted player I've seen, with the possible exception of one or two New Zealanders. He has the priceless ability to change direction without losing pace."

While Moody settles into his grandstand seat at two o'clock this afternoon, Murphy will take up his position underneath one set of posts and meet the eye of four other Tigers in the England pack. Neil Back, Graham Rowntree, Ben Kay – how about a nod and a wink from Martin Johnson?

"I don't know if there'll be a wink or not," said Murphy, "but there'll be a fair old kicking if he gets his handle on me. No, there's a lot to be said for playing against these players week in, week out. The English game is very strong at the minute.

"There's a lot of respect for the English team, we know how good a side they are. Hopefully, they feel the same way about us."

What of Johnson himself, Murphy's club captain? Your verdict, Geordan, on a giant of the game? "Well, obviously he's a... goofy mongo. And you can print that, don't worry."

Murphy, it ought to be noted, spent a happy three weeks as a guest of Johnson's parents during his initial trial with Leicester.

"No, Johnno's a star bloke, very, very nice," Murphy added. "Ah, actually, no he's not, he's not nice at all. He's loud and always yapping, always in your ear. No, really, he's a fantastic player, a fantastic leader – hopefully I'll get to kick him at the weekend."

Yes, Murphy's Law is administered with a smile, and much more than a gormless boot. But after being brushed off by Stephen Jones for a Welsh try in Cardiff, the 24-year-old continues to deal with the customary barb, that he has a weakness in defence.

"When something like that happens, the first thing you think is, 'Bugger, absolute bugger'. I've watched it on video. It was an absolute disaster of a cock-up. But I can't worry about that. People can think what they want to think, I've just got to play my game." The Irish selectors, who might have recalled the fit-again Girvan Dempsey at full-back, kept faith.

Moody thinks they are right. "Geordie was man of the match for Leicester in six out of seven games around the New Year. The one when he wasn't was when the Irish selectors were there." The testimony of a friend, to be sure.