Van Graan: Murray remains a world-class player

Conor Murray is primed for a “brilliant performance” when he returns to Munster colours for Saturday’s Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final with Edinburgh, Johann van Graan has declared. The Munster head coach may have burdened Murray with even more pressure after a Six Nations campaign which saw the Ireland scrum-half come under intense scrutiny about his form and a level of criticism the 29-year-old had not faced in his impressive career to date.

Alternatively, he has seen a player quickly turn the page to leave a disappointing Test window behind him and face into the business end of his club season fit and fresh following a much-needed mental break from the game since Ireland’s defeat by Wales in Cardiff on March 16. Munster supporters set to converge in their thousands on Edinburgh on Saturday lunchtime will certainly be hoping it is the latter scenario and van Graan yesterday put forward a convincing argument why he is confident in the abilities of his still world-class number nine.