Munster and Ireland scrum-half Conor Murray has revealed that he was hurt by unsubstantiated rumours that he had failed a drugs test during his recovery from a neck injury.
Murray sat out for five months last year with a neck injury he suffered on Ireland’s summer tour of Australia and made his return for Munster in November amid a raft of speculation about his condition.
Murray, Munster and Munster head coach Johan van Graan all refused to comment on his absence leading to rumours that he had failed a drugs test and the two-time British & Irish Lion told Nick Rabbitts of the Limerick Leader that the speculation hurt him and his family.
“The toughest part of this was the outside rumours that my friends and family would hear. Crazy stuff that I’d failed all sorts of drugs tests and they were just keeping it under wraps and letting me serve my ban. That kind of hurt a little bit,” he told the Leader.
“They were guessing what was wrong, and thinks I’m going to have to retire. It’s not nice hearing it for yourself, but them your family don’t really know either. They are seeing second hand information. It’s quite tough.”
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Murray committed his future to Irish Rugby last October by signing a new three-year IRFU deal that makes him the highest paid player in Irish rugby history.
There was speculation that the 29-year-old could join former teammate and friend Simon Zebo in France but Murray said that the decision regarding his future was relatively simply.
“It was a pretty easy decision really,” Murray told the Munster website in a video interview.
“It didn’t take long for me to decide. It’s the place I grew up, watching Munster play and wanting to play for Munster. Luckily I’ve managed to do that a few times and now I get to look forward to doing it a couple more hopefully.”
