Conor Murray remains injury doubt for Ireland's Six Nations bid

Johann van Graan has ruled the scrum-half out of this Saturday’s Guinness PRO14 season opener at Scarlets

Munster's Conor Murray is tackled by Luke McGrath of Leinster. Murray has been ruled out of Munster's season opener this weekend. Picture: INPHO/Billy Stickland

Conor Murray has only an outside chance of playing for Munster ahead of Ireland’s Six Nations games next month, Johann van Graan said on Monday as he ruled the scrum-half out of this Saturday’s Guinness PRO14 season opener at Scarlets.

The Munster head coach is preparing for the 2020-21 league campaign less than four weeks after seeing his side beaten in the 2019-20 semi-final by Leinster. Murray picked up a thigh injury in that defeat on September 4 and while van Graan said the British & Irish Lion was “progressing well”, he would not speculate on a return date.