Ulster forward Jordi Murphy is “open” to playing behind closed doors as Irish rugby plots a safe way back to action after the coronavirus lockdown.
It is understood The Aviva Stadium is ready to stage inter-pro fixtures in late-August as part of a curtailed Pro14 schedule with knockout ties pencilled in for September.
Murphy admits playing at an empty venue isn't ideal and accepts government advice and health considerations will ultimately determine rugby’s eventual return date in the weeks ahead.
However the 30-times capped Ireland flanker, who recently signed a new two year deal with Ulster, is itching to get back to the coalface.
On the prospect of fulfilling fixtures behind closed doors, he said: “It’s obviously not ideal, but if it has to be done it has to be done.
“If it means we can play rugby and people are able to watch it on TV, I’m open to doing it. I’d just like to play again.
“It would also be a safer manner for fans if they’re behind closed doors from the start, so I’m open to doing it. I’d just like to play again.”
Murphy, a keen fan of other sports, was an interested viewer as the German Bundesliga resumed behind closed doors last weekend.
Despite a media fanfare, it proved a largely soulless experience as the likes of Bayern Munich returned to action in empty stadia.
Substitutes socially distanced at the side of the pitch and celebrations were curtailed for goals which were scored in virtual silence.
Admitting mixed emotions to the rather surreal spectacle, Murphy said: “I watched the Bundesliga last weekend and it’s strange to see that the atmosphere has gone out of those stadiums.
“But I bet if you chatted to any of those players they’d tell you that they’re just happy to be back playing.
“Scoring a try or getting a turnover might not get the normal kind of energetic rush from the sound of a crowd, but I think we’d all like to go back to playing in some sort of capacity.
“And if that means behind closed doors, that’s just what it’s going to have to be.”
How players, who are accustomed to feeding off the energy and noise of a packed Kingspan Stadium, adjust to going toe-to-toe in empty venues is anyone’s guess.
But Murphy hopes his past experience of playing an All Ireland League game at a virtually deserted Aviva in Dublin will help him adjust to future games without crowds.
He recalled: “Seven or eight years ago I played for Lansdowne against, I think, Cork Con inside the Aviva Stadium and there must have been about 300 people there.
“That’s probably the closest I’ve come to playing behind closed doors where there’s not really that much of an atmosphere.
“It’s just going to be one of those things we’re going to have to deal with and bring that energy within the team ourselves.
“Anytime something good happens, building each other up. We tend to do that in training quite a lot so we’re just going to have to transfer that over to games.”
Ulster CEO Jonny Petrie said earlier this week the sport is likely to resume behind closed doors if the Pro14 restarts as planned in August or September.
He told the BBC: “The reality is that it's going to be behind closed doors or certainly restricted crowds for quite some period of time.”
