Conor Murray primed for Munster return and Lions tour

“I'd be very, very confident that I'll play rugby before we depart.”

Munster and British and Irish Lions fans can breathe a sigh of relief today with Conor Murray's declaration that he will play for the province before Warren Gatland’s tourists make for New Zealand next month, writes Brendan O’Brien.

The Irish scrum-half has not seen action since damaging nerves in his shoulder in the Six Nations encounter against Wales in March and Gatland had warned that the nine would need to return to play before boarding the plane for the summer’s big tour.