Geordan Murphy has emerged as the firm favourite to be the new Cardiff Blues head coach.

The man dubbed “the George Best of rugby” during his playing days as an Irish international looks set to move from his assistant’s role at Leicester to take the helm at the Arms Park.

He would replace the departing Danny Wilson, who has opted to move on at the end of this season following a three-year tenure.

More than 30 contenders applied for the vacant post, with those being whittled down and a three-man shortlist drawn up.

With the shortlisting and interview process completed, the preferred candidate has been selected and that man is understood to be Murphy.

Negotiations would have to be finalised ahead of an announcement, but the 39-year-old is seen as the man to take the region forward.

He would come on board next summer, stepping into the vacancy created by Wilson’s exit.

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Murphy has been very much a one-club man up to now, spending his 20-year playing and coaching career with Leicester.

Born in Dublin and educated at Newbridge College, in County Kildare, he played Gaelic football at junior level before focusing on rugby.

Then in 1997, he joined the Tigers and went on to become a first-team regular at either full-back or wing, sharing in the Heineken Cup final wins of 2001 and 2002, scoring a try in the latter match against Munster at the Millennium Stadium.

He won 72 caps for Ireland and was member of the team that won the 2009 Six Nations Grand Slam, while also playing at full-back for the Lions in the final Test of the 2005 tour of New Zealand.

As a player, he was renowned for his attacking ambition, his skills and creativity.

It was that footballing flair which saw him dubbed “the George Best of rugby” by then Leicester Director of Rugby Dean Richards.

In all, Murphy made 316 appearances for the Tigers, scoring 657 points, winning the Premiership title no fewer than eight times with the club, captaining them on a number of occasions.

Retiring from playing in May 2013, he become assistant coach at Welford Road from the following season onwards, working under Richard Cockerill and, more recently, Matt O’Connor.

In addition to Wilson, backs coach Matt Sherratt will also be leaving the Blues at the end of this season to take over from the departing Gruff Rees at the Ospreys.