Conor Murray reclaims centre stage after rare stint in the shadows

Conor Murray: Led Ireland to victory over England in a 'sublime' team display. Picture: INPHO/Morgan Treacy

Conor Murray must have wondered where he stood when the final whistle sounded in Murrayfield earlier this month and he had yet to shed the tracksuit.

Ireland’s undisputed No 9 for close to a decade, he wasn’t required to leave the bench in the 27-24 win against the Scots. This on the back of an ordinary performance in the tournament opener against Wales and an injury that robbed him of a chance to face France or Italy.

Many a scrum-half had come at the king but all had missed until Jamison Gibson-Park took his shot. When Leinster’s Kiwi started against Wales in the Autumn Nations Cup, the ripple effect was a first test in 44 in which Murray had been available but had to settle for a place on the bench.

And even that had been for a World Cup pool game against Romania.

Murray’s response, against England last Saturday, was exceptional.

For all the talent washing around the shores in terms of scrum-half, he gave a controlled, physical performance that once again sets a high bar for any pretenders.

“When we look at the performance on Saturday it was sublime,” said Alan Quinlan. “The way he defended as well just gave Ireland so much stability around the fringes of the rucks.

“You can always look at a couple of kicks and say one or two weren’t deep enough or whatever but overall the simple things he did exceptionally well.”

Quinlan isn’t blind to the wider context. The reason Murray and Jonathan Sexton could play well, he explained, was because the Irish pack was winning the collisions and that allowed them to play on the front foot.

“You kind of feel sorry for Gibson-Park. Would he have excelled on the back of what the Irish forwards did? Probably. But Murray’s presence alone… even in the English minds, they would have preferred if he wasn’t playing.

He is in a good place and that’s good for Munster next weekend for the PRO14 final.

The shifting sands in the scrum-half pecking order will probably be highlighted tomorrow given Luke McGrath is expected to start ahead of Gibson-Park for Leinster despite the latter having leapfrogged above him in the national standings.

Murray, however, remains a cut above when it comes to Munster and the question now is whether he could find himself playing a prominent part in another red jersey when the Lions tour South Africa this summer.

“Especially when it’s against South Africa,” said Quinlan who is on duty for the PRO14 final with Premier Sports. “He’s a big scrum-half who makes a lot of tackles. The reality is there is no-one in any of the nations jumping out. Even Gareth Davies.

“He was taken off the other night (against France) and didn’t start the tournament against Ireland. Wales aren’t certain who their best scrum-half is either. So, there is an open door there.

Whether people agree with it or not, when you finish with a big result in the Six Nations and you perform in that big game, there is every chance that you are going to get on that plane. He put his hand up firmly at the weekend.