John Joseph Murphy (born 27 August 1957) is an Irish former rugby union international.
[1] A football (soccer) player in his youth, Murphy was signed by Arsenal in the early 1970s as one of several Irish teenage recruits at the time, including David O'Leary with whom he shared a room in London.
[2] Due to homesickness, Murphy returned to Ireland after only six months, devoting his time instead to his other childhood sport of rugby union.
[1] He played club rugby for Greystones RFC and at provincial level turned out for Leinster.
A fullback, he was capped in three Tests for Ireland, debuting against the Springboks on the 1981 tour of South Africa.