Conor Murray: You can’t be quiet on the rugby field

It would be no surprise to pick up a tabloid newspaper today and see Conor Murray mocked up to resemble John Wayne’s Sean Thornton character in The Quiet Man. Most likely in that scene where he biffs Victor McLaglen.

It was Joe Schmidt who got the strong, silent stereotype thing going yesterday when he discussed the attributes Munster’s scrum-half brings to his role, and the team in general, but few shrinking violets thrive on the open prairies of Test rugby.

“I suppose you can’t be quiet on the field,” said Murray. “It’s part and parcel of your job. That’s something that’s been worked on since I was a young fella, getting that out of you and guiding people around the pitch and being vocal. On the pitch, it’s certainly not the case but off the pitch I’m probably a laid-back, type guy. But I still work as hard as anyone else, get all my training done and contribute to the team as much as I can. It’s just a lot of different people in the squad.”

Murray’s zen is probably a good fit given Jonathan Sexton, with whom he has established one of the best partnerships in the game, carries a reputation for narkiness even if the nine has argued his corner now and again when required.

“That can happen in the heat of the moment. You might have one idea in your head, he might have another but that’s what comes from training together and playing together so often over the years. That has developed over time.

“It happens a lot less now than it did at the start. At the beginning obviously it does and then as you know each other a bit more and begin to understand each other a bit more. But it can happen.”

A scrum-half serves as the hinge connecting the forwards and backs so Murray’s communication skills are vital and will be tested again tomorrow when his usual first point of contact with the pack sits out.

Jamie Heaslip had been an almost constant companion to Murray for over three years before injury sidelined him for this campaign’s opener in Italy. Jordi Murphy deputised then, and does again now, and Murray doesn’t feel the need to be extra protective of the younger man.

“I wouldn’t say mind him but, with Jamie, you’ve been there and done it so many times, you understand when he is going to take the ball out of the scrum or other scenarios like that around the pitch,” he explained.

“With Jordi in the Italian week, it was about repeating those moves together so they become as close to second nature as possible. So, I understand the way he delivers the ball from a scrum or what he likes to do around a scrum which is probably the main area of the relationship.”