Conor Murray grateful for privilege of fourth World Cup, but nervous as ever
NERVOUS: Conor Murray during training. Pic Credit ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan
World Cups have always felt like a privilege for Conor Murray, from the moment he received the unexpected phone call that he had made Ireland’s 2011 squad.
That the call came after the then 22-year-old had been told he was not going to New Zealand as part of Declan Kidney’s squad and the now veteran scrum-half has been feeling grateful to be a part of them ever since.
Murray’s fourth World Cup here in France, which continues tonight with a start against Tonga for his 109th Ireland cap is no exception and perhaps carries an extra special emotion to it.
Not just because of the belief coursing through the current Ireland camp but because the 33-year-old accepts it will probably his final appearance on rugby’s greatest stage.
Which made his appearance in front of the media an ideal opportunity to take stock of a remarkable Test career with Ireland that still has plenty of road left to travel but not, one suspects, as far as Australia in 2027.
"It feels long,” Murray said of his World Cup history, “I'm looking back at the photos of the long hair from 2011.
"The journey, I've talked about it before, about coming through and getting in for 2011 but where I am now, I suppose, it's a fourth World Cup, people have mentioned that and I'm aware of it but I just really appreciate where I am and I'm really grateful for the opportunities.
"I am really lucky to have made four. I've seen in every cycle that people fall out through injury or through favour or form or whatever.
"It's just a grateful one, I suppose, I'm really lucky to be part of a squad, especially this one.
"They've all been great craic and they have all been talented squads but this just ticks a lot of those boxes, the camaraderie we have. I hope that shows from the inside out, we don't need to talk about that, we're a really tight group and obviously with the potential we have.
"So yeah, just excited to be part of the environment and excited about where we can go.”
Murray’s gratitude and excitement at being a part of Andy Farrell’s 2023 squad extends to having nearest and dearest around him in an era of inclusiveness fostered by the head coach that recognises the benefit of family time at appropriate stages of both pre-season and the tournament.
The Murray clan is just as excited as he is, the Munster star said.
"Yeah, they are, big time. They're hugely excited, it's probably the last one as well so they're definitely making the most of it. So yeah, it's brilliant. Friends are starting to come over this weekend, a few people have 'follow your team' tickets and things like that.
"My dad is on his way over on the ferry as we speak, so it's great. Families love it. You see it when they turn up how excited they are, so it just kind of hits home how big it is.”
That his father, Gerry, is en route to Nantes this weekend is extra special given it was only last February that the keen cyclist was left with serious head injuries following a collision with a truck close to the family home in Patrickswell, Co. Limerick.
"Yeah, it's great,” Murray said. “He's in good health and he's back golfing and doing everything he loves. It's great that he's able to do it.”
Murray will be sure to be all business when he takes the field at Stade de la Beaujoire this evening, 12 years on from a World Cup debut as starting scrum-half against the United States in New Plymouth on New Zealand’s North Island.
Looking back on those aforementioned pictures he sees a very different person and player to the one that looks back at him in the mirror these days.
"How long have you got?!
"Obviously experience, that's something that will come with time and yeah, 2011, as I've said before I was just young and naive and I didn't take anything for granted but it was all new and it was new experience after new experience.
"As a person and where I am as a player now, going back to being grateful about being here, I know how special they are, World Cups, and the memories you can really make and also how difficult it is to do well at World Cups.
"So in terms of a player, I think the main difference motivation-wise is I'm way more aware of how hard you have to work both as an individual and a group to get what you want.
"Back then, you're not as aware, you're just starting off in your career but now I think you can see the pathway but it's about doing everything right and trying to perform at your best.
"I think that's what I'm more aware of now as opposed to back then.”
Not everything is different from way back then, however. Not the pre-match nerves.
"It never changes,” he said with another smile, “you're always really, really nervous. Can't eat!”
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