TADHG FURLONG PLAYS the role of the bolter in this year’s Ireland World Cup squad, but Conor Murray’s rapid rise to international honours in 2011 was even more impressive.
After just eight senior starts with Munster at the end of the 2010/11 season, the scrum-half found himself flung into the Ireland squad for the World Cup warm-ups and went on to emerge from the New Zealand-hosted tournament as Ireland’s first-choice nine.
Murray celebrates after an Ireland win at RWC2011. Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO
Murray approaches this year’s competition in a totally different place, with a Lions tour and 37 Ireland caps behind him, but memories of that first foray into the international arena in 2011 remain strong.
Typically of the Limerick man, he never viewed his involvement under then head coach Declan Kidney as serving to make up the numbers.
“You have a different mindset looking back on it now,” says Murray, who took a blow to the head against England last weekend but will be back in full training with Ireland on Monday after completing his return-to-play protocols.
“Those few games with Munster were huge for my confidence, because I was playing with ROG, I was playing with Paulie, Wally, Marcus, Fla, Hayes. All these players were big names in the Irish team.
After impressing off the bench against England and France in the warm-ups, Murray was promoted to starting scrum-half for the first time for Ireland’s World Cup opener against the US, before slotting back among the replacements for the famous win over Australia.
There was delight at being involved in that win of course, but the former St. Munchin’s student couldn’t accept not being in the XV. After being rested for the facile win over Russia, Murray was back in the nine shirt for Ireland’s last two games of their World Cup.
Conor Murray is an ambassador for MaxiNutrition. Source: James Crombie/INPHO
“The Italian game made me fall in love with it,” says Murray as he skips down memory lane. “Indoor in Dunedin, it sounded so cool. It was a mix of fans who always watch the game and those who probably only get into it for the World Cup.
“They were singing Olé, Olé, more a soccer song but they were chanting that. Fields of Athenry. Just constant noise throughout the whole game and we were winning and scoring. It was one of the best atmospheres I’ve ever played in. I wanted more of that.”
Murray has certainly enjoyed plenty more of those big occasions with Munster, Ireland and the Lions, but says the chance to play in another World Cup is the ultimate high.
The 26-year-old is strikingly composed on and off the pitch and always has been, seemingly relishing the pressure and responsibility that comes with being asked to step up a level.