Munster scrum-half Conor Murray is enjoying the best campaign of his professional career this season.
Since the 2015 Rugby World Cup Murray has defeated New Zealand twice, started in all three Tests for the British & Irish Lions against the All Blacks last summer and last month he added a third Six Nations title and first Grand Slam to an ever increasing list of honours.
The 28-year-old’s opportunistic try against Toulon in the Champions Cup quarter-final win at Thomond Park last month highlighted his knowledge and nous for rugby, but it’s his decision making that is his greatest strength according to Munster head coach Johann van Graan.
“In any game of rugby you need to look at your strengths and what opportunities the opposition possibly give you,” said van Graan at a Munster Rugby press conference.
“Then it’s about finding ways to hopefully get some points on the board. With Conor, he’s got such a wide array of skills. It’s not only his running, or his kicking, or his passing game; it’s his decision-making.
“He seems to produce week in and week out. When he came on to the field and scored that try (against the Cheetahs), he’s a threat everywhere. You use your world-class players as best you can.”
Van Graan previously scouted Murray while working as a technical adviser (and then later as a forwards coach) for the Springboks and added that he’s always admired the Ireland half-back and his ability to consistently make the right decision around the base of the ruck.
The first-year coach praised Murray for his consistency but also highlighted his calming presence in last Friday’s win over the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.
“I’ve always thought he was a great player,” added the South African.
“He just delivers every single week. There was never any doubt when I came here. When South Africa played against him, we knew what a quality player he is.
“He’s just incredible. I think his biggest asset is maybe his decision-making, he seems to make them in slow motion and he seems to make the right one time after time.
“Also, when he’s on the field he brings a lot of calm to the team and I thought he did really well when he came off the bench at the weekend. I also thought James Hart had a very good two weeks. With Duncan injured, I thought he really stepped up to the plate, so we’re really glad to have a bit of depth at nine now.”
Munster teammate Andrew Conway was also quick to highlight Murray’s talent from the base of the ruck and attributes his ability to execute to the work he’s willing to do at training.
The box kick has become a notable part of the Munster attack with Murray at scrum-half and Conway admits that it’s an area that Munster have consciously looked to develop over the past few seasons.
“We have worked hard on it for a long, long time, so we probably have the edge on a few other teams who are only starting to develop their game now.
“There are definitely teams who are getting better and teams you are making it tougher for us to chase with the escorting that goes on and with the small details that make kick-chase.
“They don’t just let you run and me verses him in ‘who can jump higher and catch the ball’, so with someone like Conor there it goes quite high, so you have time to navigate yourself around the opponents who are trying to make your line tougher.
“There is an understanding there (with Conor). I am standing next to him, I know what the call for a kick is and I know he is going to put it up. I do practice with him two or three times a week on it, so there is definitely an advantage in knowing the flight of the ball.
“He pretty much puts it wherever he wants every single time, so I know in and around it is going to be two or three metres one way or the other, left or right, up or down.”
On to the next one
Munster’s Champions Cup semi-final opponents Racing enter this weekend’s tie following a 42-27 defeat to Toulouse in the Top 14 where the majority of the club’s frontline players were rested.
When Racing handed Munster their only defeat of the Pool stages with a 34-30 win at U Arena in Paris earlier this season they boasted a greater share of both the possession and the territory while more than doubling Munster in the offload count (5:2).
Van Graan stressed that Munster need to be wary of the Racing forwards ability to free the ball in the tackle and that they will have to be sound at the line-out against a side he said was the second best team in the world at contesting line-out ball behind New Zealand.
“I think it’s two pretty similar sides,” van Graan replied when asked how Racing compared to Toulon.
“They’ve got world-class players all across the board. I think the off-loading game of some of the Racing forwards is very, very good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9gS4tEHn0Y
“I said it the previous time, their line-out contesting is second to the All Blacks, I believe. They really put you under pressure.
“Then they have players who can deliver big moments: Machenaud at No9, just look at him in the French team, his goal-kicking, his general distribution.
“He’s a world-class player. I thought Patrick Lambie played pretty well in the quarter-final. When you can bring on players like Dan Carter and Joe Rokocoko, you know that you’ve got depth in your squad.
“It’s a massive challenge for Munster going to France on a Sunday afternoon and trying to beat them there. It’s one that we’re looking forward to.”
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