Conor Murray believes South Africa pose a greater attacking threat than the Springbok side that powered to a 16-12 win over Ireland two years ago. The Munster out-half started that evening as Ireland led 12-3 at the break before crumbling to the Bok’s forward momentum.
“They’ve improved over the last year definitely, along with the traditional strengths of a South African team, big strong, physical men, power up front,” said Murray.
“They are a lot more expansive especially with Handré Pollard at 10. They are a lot more willing to run from deep, with a more likelihood to try higher risk play. It brings a bit more of a threat throughout the park. They’re a better team than we played them a couple of years ago.”
A couple of questions at the Carton House briefing lingered on the retired Brian O’Driscoll but Murray insisted the squad are not getting too bogged down by the task of filling the number 13 jersey.
“We know Brian is gone. We are not wallowing in that too much.”
With Ulster’s Ruan Pienaar unlikely to feature at the Aviva Stadium, the Springboks should start Francois Hougaard at scrum-half. The 26-year-old finished off a superb team try in his last Test outing against the All Blacks (see below).
“He played on the wing against us a couple of years ago because he has got that natural speed but I think he ran the speed quite well over the Championship. When he did get his chance, he took it. He’s a dangerous runner. He brings forwards into play nicely off him and is a constant threat himself. Around the ruck, defence, three forwards either side of the ruck, we are going to be switched on.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUk0aMugHl0
Murray has become indispensable to the Irish cause ever since establishing himself as Declan Kidney’s first choice scrum-half at the tail-end of the 2011 World Cup. He has become an even greater vocal presence than the confident 22-year-old that barked orders at Brian O’Driscoll and Gordon D’Arcy in New Plymouth before that World Cup opener against the United States.
“It is a natural progression. I’m enjoying the place I have in the squad at the moment. I’m enjoying the atmosphere we have within the group. There is a lot of leaders here. Paulie (O’Connell) is the captain but throughout the whole squad there is a lot of people leading it. We all have a good idea of how we want to play, what we want to do on the pitch at a particular time. Whoever is on the pitch and whoever is in the starting 15 has a pressure on them anyway. I don’t see it any different if you are selected great, you take that pressure on board and that responsibility and that is how you cope with it.
“It’s the role of a nine within the team. You have to be a decision-maker and you have to be willing to make decisions. Maybe at Munster it is a bit more so because we changed the way we play a bit from Rob Penney’s era. It was a wide game so I probably wasn’t in the game as much as I am now with Munster.”
Murray towed the party line by insisting he is not focusing on World Cups or defending the Six Nations trophy. South Africa are the focus, end of story.
“They seem to be in really good form. I know they have had a couple of weeks break (after The Rugby Championship) but they will continue in that form. That is a huge challenge.”
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