Conor Murray promises Munster will stick to attacking game plan

Conor Murray has promised Munster will stick to an attacking game-plan he believes is the most enjoyable he has played as they attempt to get their European campaign back on track at Leicester on Sunday.

Missed tackles, sloppy decision- making, poor handling and wayward kicking have all conspired to undermine Munster’s bright start to the season, culminating in a third successive loss last Saturday when they were beaten 31-19 by the Tigers at Thomond Park in the first of a Champions Cup Pool 4 back-to-back series with the English powerhouse.

Clearly those are all problems the province under head coach Anthony Foley need to quickly eradicate if they are to have a hope of seeking vengeance at the earliest opportunity at Welford Road this weekend.

Yet if Munster are to have any hope of staying alive in the pool with away and home fixtures still to play against Stade Francais and a closing visit to group minnows Treviso in Italy, scrum-half Murray believes they must stay committed to their style of attack.

The Ireland and Lions star has backed his belief in Foley’s system to the extent that the 26-year-old would be happy to ignore offers from abroad and complete negotiations over a new IRFU contract beyond the end of his current deal next summer.

Four seasons on from his European debut against Northampton in November 2011, he called staying at Munster “almost a no-brainer” and asked if the team should change the game plan after Saturday’s Thomond Park loss, the response was unequivocal.

“No. Absolutely not,” Murray said. “When we attacked our shape looked really good and we did stress them. Defensively we leaked tries, our set-piece went wrong, a couple of tackles were missed, that’s nothing to do with the attack.

“As a group we have full faith in the way we’re playing. We can cause teams problems. I haven’t enjoyed an attacking structure as much as this year, we have the tools to really cause teams problem and stress them.

“Maybe we were tough on ourselves after the game but it’s been really positive (since). It’s been working for us so far this season. Obviously, the last three weeks haven’t gone to plan but before that we’d won six out of seven and played really good rugby. So, I think we’re focused on remaining the same and being more a clinical outfit.”

Murray believes the overseas influence from the likes of incoming All Blacks centre Francis Saili remains as positive as ever within the Munster set-up and can only help the province become that bit more clinical in their execution.

“Really, really good,” he said of the impact of the current crop of international signings. “I’ve experienced it since I’ve been with Munster. We’ve been through a handful of really experienced foreign players who have come from hugely successful club and international careers and they might just have a different outlook.

“With Francis and Mark Chisholm and Lucas Amorosino, it’s just their viewpoint and seeing things that you mightn’t see, that you mightn’t be aware of. They might run a move differently, do something that you might not be aware of and it’s all that sort of knowledge that is passed through.

Mark Chisholm playing against Ulster

“We’ve a certain way of playing, we grew up with a certain tradition or culture and they came from something different and that mix, with a great coaching set-up, is really positive for our group.You saw when Munster won the two Heineken Cups there was always an international impact and it’s really positive.”

Murray, though, is not blind to the need for his side to get its act together heading into a must-win game at Leicester’s Welford Road fortress, or of the criticism being aimed in their direction following that error-strewn performance last weekend.

“We didn’t need the coaches to tell us that, we knew we played well at times and we know we can put it up to Leicester when we get things right and we did get things right, it’s just the finishing touches (we lacked) and it’s annoying me now saying it. We need to get those things right this week because we’ll get fewer chances.

“It is in our hands again. In terms of remaining positive, this group of players, we can’t worry about what the outsiders say or whatever.

“We fully believe we can go over and win over there. 100% believe it, so if we do go over there, put on a performance and get a win, which is what we are looking to do, the whole European picture changes again. Suddenly people are talking differently about us, so that will be our focus this week, not what people are saying about us this week, but just trying to get a performance together, get a result and suddenly we are looking at something completely different.”

Munster eye Bradley role

Michael Bradley while in cahrge of Edinburgh in 2012

Michael Bradley is being linked to a position in a revamped Munster management for next season.

Coach Anthony Foley is set to have his contract extended for a third year but it is expected that there may be some changes to the management team.

Former Ireland captain Bradley, who spent seven years in charge of Connacht and two seasons in charge of Edinburgh, has been working as an assistant coach in two spells with Georgia for the past few seasons and helped them win two games at the World Cup. His roles in Georgia have been with the backs and as defence coach.

Bradley is due to return to Georgia in the new year to help them prepare for the defence of their European Nations Cup title.