Conor Murray is the best No.9 in world rugby right now.
Ben Youngs is not far away, Rhys Webb is in form and Greig Laidlaw may even travel. If he can stay fit, Murray is as safe a bet as you can find to start for the British & Irish Lions in the opening tour Test against New Zealand.
Donncha O’Callaghan told The Hard Yards that Murray and Maro Itoje are the only guaranteed Lions starters he can see, although the panel generally agreed that Tadhg Furlong and Stuart Hogg are not far away.
At least it's out in the open https://t.co/3xp4GG5mWU
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) February 26, 2017
On Tuesday, former Wales and Lions winger Shane Williams told ourselves that Alun Wyn Jones would be his pick to lead the home nations during the summer. “Sexton and Murray as a combo probably the best combination in the world at the moment,” he told us.
When asked about Murray by the print media, Williams then stated he would have no qualms with Murray leading the Lions.
The movement, which we credit golfer Shane Lowry for kicking off, is growing in strength and is growing with each and every assured performance by the Ireland scrum-half. That movement is taking hold across the Irish Sea.
Credit: RBS Six Nations [via YouTube]
In an article on The Daily Telegraph entitled ‘Challenging Six Nations weekend for British and Irish Lions captaincy contenders helps Conor Murray case’, Gavin Mairs highlights poor weekend’s for Wyn Jones and England captain Dylan Hartley in comparison to the Munster man’s nerveless performance against France. He writes:
‘The momentum that had been building behind Owen Farrell as one of those contenders from outside ‘the big four’ [Wyn Jones, Hartley, Laidlaw and Rory Best] also stalled.’
The next two games could well settle the debate for Lions head coach Warren Gatland. If Murray can help Ireland to wins against Wales, in Cardiff, and England at home, he could be in with a great shout.
Interestingly, Munster director of rugby Rassie Erasmus does not feel Murray is gunning for the role. Ahead of the France match, he told The Irish Examiner:
“I don’t know if Conor would like to be the captain. He’s a very down to earth guy and of course the captaincy is a great honour… Certainly with his quality as a player and with his stature and aura, [but] I’m not sure he would want that.”
There is a growing sense that Gatland may name a tour captain based on his overall contribution to the squad and external media and sponsorship commitments.
O’Callaghan believes Gatland could create a leadership group of four to five players with someone like Wyn Jones, who is not a Test certainty, as figurehead captain. Murray could well be part of that group.
Don’t be surprised to see him lead the Lions at some stage of this summer’s series in the Land of the Long White Cloud.
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