![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() His parents were a pivotal influence but never pushy dad Gerry worked in the ESB and was a keen cyclist who has competed in the Rás, then worked as a cameraman on the Tour de France. Murray’s could have been steered quite easily in another direction. There are no straight lines in life’s path. “He’s quiet and he might appear laid-back but he’s so dedicated,” adds O’Connell, “so smart, and works so hard.” Conor loves what he does, he does it with a smile on his face and he enjoys it.” “It’s a love of the game, you see that with Jonathan Sexton too. “It’s no surprise to me that he has reached this point in his career. He has been able to come through so much, and learned so much. Resilience has been a big factor in his life and career. “You’re never as good as people say you are, and you’re never as bad as people say you are,” says Oliver, a long-standing academy coach with Munster and elite development officer with the IRFU. In 2007, Greig Oliver, the former Scottish scrum-half, was sent on a Garryowen scouting mission to a schools’ game in Thomond Park when he first spotted Murray’s potential.įifteen years on, he avers to Anthony Foley’s oft-told maxim as he prepares to witness a moment of history. He was also voted onto World Rugby’s team of the decade for 2010-2019 and, in tandem with Sexton, produced the most sustained excellence of any player, at any time, during a memorable international year in 2018.Īnd yet almost since that moment, mirroring the imperceptible decline of Joe Schmidt’s coaching powers and the nascent struggles of Andy Farrell’s, Murray has been a lightning rod for criticism.Įven devotees in Munster, also burdened by a restrictive playing style in recent years, mourned the passing of their former hero into increasing irrelevance.Ĭombined with a neck problem so serious that it prompted thoughts of retirement to intermittently haunt his waking hours, there are few beyond an intimate circle who could have claimed with utter conviction that such an honour like today’s would come his way. ![]() Murray has already played in three World Cups and toured three times with the Lions, two summers ago becoming the 13th Irishman to captain the side in South Africa. The resumption of rugby’s record half-back partnership is tribute to the resilience of its twin titans he and Jonathan Sexton will start together for Ireland for the 65th time this weekend, 14 short of the world record set by Australia’s Stephen Larkham and George Gregan. “The longevity he has had is brilliant and there’s plenty left in him,” says the Ireland forwards coach. Paul O’Connell featured during Murray’s debut and smiled yesterday when recalling that perhaps his best moment, a magical sidestepping shimmy during that 2011 World Cup, did not make last night’s DVD. World champions versus the planet’s No 1-ranked team in Dublin. “Is this real?” he had asked himself, as he spotted Brian O’Driscoll and then Ronan O’Gara, a one-time autograph target.Īnd yet here he was still more than a decade on, once again tasked to perform at the summit of international rugby. His squad watched a highlights reel of his finest moments last night in Carton House, 11 years after he first arrived there as an awestruck kid. But also to acknowledge that, after enduring so much, becoming the eighth Irishman to win 100 caps may not yet become a punctuation mark to this remarkable story but merely the opening lines of a wonderful final chapter. ![]()
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