Ireland head coach Greg McWilliams should do everything in his power to get Jenny Murphy back into the Test squad, says Leinster head coach Tania Rosser.
The Aussie has been hugely impressed by the contribution made by Murphy, 33, on the pitch alongside Aoife Dalton at centre, but also off the pitch as she has led by example.
The backline star won a Grand Slam with Ireland in 2013 and a Six Nations title in 2015, but after the 2017 World Cup she suffered knee and back injuries.
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However the Kildare woman wasn't selected for the failed 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign and, in the aftermath, was critical of the now departed IRFU director of women's rugby Anthony Eddy and the Union itself.
Murphy scored two tries in Leinster's opening Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship win over Connacht and was on the scoresheet against Munster last weekend, but the Blues lost a tight encounter.
"If I was the Irish coach I'd be on to Jenny Murphy straight away and getting her back in, and I would take everything to do that," said Rosser.
"She's just guided Aoife through the last two matches and that means Aoife can just be herself, explore it, have a crack, because she knows Jenny is always on her inside looking out for her. So that's been good.
"She just gels the whole squad together. She also puts her arm around the shoulder when someone needs it, and she's also not afraid to call the old ones out as well. So it's everything. It's not just on the pitch, it's off the pitch support.
"She's even a good one for me to go to and have a chat to, just to get the thoughts of what is coming from the players along with the two captains.
"She's loving rugby at the moment. I don't know if Ireland is the place she wants to be.
"Certainly if I was the Irish coach I'd want her in there, but you talk to Jenny, she's loving her rugby and it's probably the best rugby I've seen her play in the last two or three years, because she's actually enjoying what she's doing."
Asked if she thinks Murphy would be open to a return to the Test arena, Rosser replied: "I think Jenny is the type of person where if she loves it, and she knows people have got her best interests at heart, she'll perform and do anything for you."
With Munster favourites to win the series by beating Connacht, Leinster play Ulster in their final Interpro championship on Saturday on the Arena Pitch at Queen’s University Upper Malone in Belfast.
"Ulster fought right to the end (against Connacht) so we're not expecting an easy game," said Rosser. "If we don't front up this week we'll be in trouble. "
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