O’Driscoll: Murray is ready for the big stage

Ireland skipper Brian O’Driscoll believes Conor Murray will be able to make the step up on his first international start against the US Eagles at Yarrow Stadium in Taranaki on Sunday.

Murray’s meteoric rise from Munster squad player to international starter has been prominent for some time, but there are many who fell that perhaps it is too soon to blood an inexperienced, if prodigious young talent. O’Driscoll, however, thinks Murray will adapt to the pace of international rugby quickly.

“Conor is a confident young man. We were talking about him behind his back, about his probable ‘man of the match performance’ in the Magners League final,” said O’Driscoll.

“Although Wally (David Wallace) picked it up, the boys thought Conor was outstanding. He's shown great form and presence in training.

"I have no doubt he's up to the challenge. He's definitely got the right temperament for this.”

On a personal level, O’Driscoll feels he has made more of a connection with the young number nine over in recent times and claims that, despite his perceived shyness, Murray is well able to look after himself on the pitch.

“He's confident but not arrogant. He has good inner belief. His career is starting on a pretty good footing,” insisted the Leinster centre.

“It's not easy for a young guy like him to come into a squad. I was that person once upon a time.

“It's difficult to be yourself, you tend to stay in your shell a bit more and let others do the talking.

“But the more confident you get with your surroundings, your personality shines through.

“He's a lot more confident in the company of the Munster guys but we've seen signs that he's coming out of his shell.

“I've had some good laughs with him over the last week and he's a nice young fella.”

Sunday’s test will be the first time that Murray and Leinster playmaker Jonathan Sexton will operate at half-back and although the partnership is untested, O’Driscoll sees massive potential in the duo.

“It's the first time Conor and Jonathan will have played together in a Test but they've done lots of combination stuff in training.

“With every minute they have together on the pitch they'll improve. I don't envisage any difficulties.

“They're both confident young guys and I expect them to do what half-backs do and that's bossing the forwards around.”

O’Driscoll et al will be reunited with their former coach Eddie O’Sullivan, who first installed him as captain during his tenure. Despite the criticism that O’Sullivan suffered towards the end of his coaching term, O’Driscoll has only good things to say about his former mentor.

“I enjoyed working with Eddie. It was a long period in my international career, eight years from when he was assistant coach to head coach,” O’Driscoll said.

“He had a huge part to play in my international career. he did some great things for Irish rugby and was unfortunate not be on the receiving end of a Grand Slam.

“But he shaped the team in a big way to go on and achieve that. He deserves credit for that.

"I've no doubt whatsoever that Eddie will be fired up for this one. He'll be champing at the bit for this game.

"I read a few comments that they won't be lack in motivation because of the date and what's at stake, but he said his job will be to keep them calm and controlled. He's got the experience to do that.

"I'm sure he'd love to get one over us, I don't know many coaches who don't want to get one over their old team.”