Conor Murray was not a happy man during Munster’s press conference Wednesday.
As a scrum-half you are undoubtedly going to be targeted by the opposition.
Those are the terms that come with the job and Murray doesn’t expect anything different.
He played in the pivotal nine position at the highest level for a number of years now, be it for Munster, Ireland or the Lions, so it is safe to say that he has experienced his fair share of ‘attention’ from the opposition.
Nevertheless, Murray took particular distaste to the targeting he received in Munster’s 14-12 victory over the Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun.
This had to have been seen in real time, didn't it?https://t.co/rwEkcd9tOq
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) January 15, 2017
Particularly, Murray was the recipient of a number of late challenges which generally occurred once he had completed a box kick.
The challenges consisted of Glasgow players falling towards Murray’s standing leg, conveniently veiled as an unsuccessful block down.
Murray, to say the least, was livid with this tactic employed by the Warriors and he also revealed to reporters that it wasn’t the first time Glasgow have targeted Munster scrum halves in this way.
“I’m properly p***ed off about that,” he said. “I don’t see any benefit in charging down someone’s standing leg, I only see it as a danger or as a potential to get injured. I don’t think it’s a good tactic. They did it to us at Thomond Park, they got our scrum-half Te (Aihe Toma) with it in the league game and they almost got me a couple of times.”
Thankfully for Munster and Ireland, Murray avoided injury but regarded himself as lucky nevertheless considering the artificial surface at Scotstoun increases the likelihood of dangerous injuries occurring.
“Luckily my leg came out of the ground and I managed to fall over, but if my leg stayed in the ground – especially in that (artificial) surface – you’re looking at syndesmosis, you’re looking at the cruciate (ligament). I’m not blaming the players. I don’t know who told them to do it but it’s very dangerous. Thankfully I didn’t get injured. They’re the only team I’ve come across that did it.”Â
Murray also discussed the controversy regarding the investigation into Munster’s handling of the injury he suffered in the second half of that bruising encounter.
Murray insisted that he wasn’t knocked out and that Munster do not have a case to answer as he has passed all Head Injury Assessments and been subsequently given the all clear by a neurologist.
Munster are expected to name their team tomorrow for Saturday’s clash with Racing 92 in Thomond Park.
