The scrum-half passed a concussion test in the Aviva Stadium medical centre but delayed symptoms showed up on Monday
The IRFU has told SportsJOE it is satisfied with how the Ireland medical team carried out a pitch-side Head Injury Assessment on Conor Murray last Saturday despite Munster’s confirmation this afternoon that the 25-year-old had suffered delayed concussion.
Murray’s province released an update today that revealed the scrum-half had shown concussion-like symptoms following a further HIA test at University of Limerick on Monday. Murray took an accidental knee to the head from Quade Cooper in the 68th minute of Ireland’s 26-23 win over Australia. He played on for two minutes – landing one big tackle on Wallabies captain Michael Hooper – before he was removed for assessment by Dr Eanna Falvey.
The IRFU confirmed today that Murray was taken to the stadium’s medical centre, where he passed HIA test number one. There is a 10-minute window in which to carry out checks, such as balance and memory tasks. Murray was back on the pitch four minutes and 31 seconds later. In his first action upon return he dived on a loose ball, which had shot out on an Irish ruck, and received a boot in the back from Cooper.
He finished the game at out-half following Johnny Sexton’s departure for a suspected concussion and connected with two more tackles, on Henry Speight and Ben McCalman. A IRFU spokesperson told us, ‘Conor was not concussed on Saturday and was assessed again by IRFU medical staff on Sunday before returning to Munster.’
Murray was monitored by the Irish medical staff at the post-game function and carried out HIA test number two on Sunday morning. A third HIA test, carried out on Monday showed signs of a delayed concussion. While it is likely Murray, similar to Paul O’Connell, Simon Zebo and Peter O’Mahony, would not have featured against Ulster at Thomond Park this evening, the assessment by Dr Tadhg O’Sullivan for Munster certainly ruled the scrum-half out.
A Munster spokesperson told SportsJOE, ‘We followed on the process initiated by the IRFU on Saturday and Sunday and player welfare was our priority at every point.’
The IRFU spokesperson commented, ‘In fairness to Eanna and his medical team, they have made the correct decision. Even in the past when a player has passed a test, they have still been taken off. It was not a case where a completely concussed player was allowed back on to the pitch.’
The spokesperson added that a concussion symptom may be, in some cases, a mild headache. Murray, for his part, wrote in an Irish Independent column today that he feels “fine” after going through the return to play protocols. He thanked the Ireland medical staff for removing him from play while there was a doubt over the potential head injury.
Sexton was left out of Racing Métro’s squad to face Castres Olympique on Saturday. Leinster named their match-day squad to face Ospreys, on Saturday, this afternoon and included Gordon D’Arcy on their bench. D’Arcy and Rob Kearney were also following return to play protocols after receiving heavy blows against Australia.
A Leinster spokesperson told us the province’s medical staff treat every blow to the head as a suspected concussion but both players had come through the protocols with no issues this week. The spokesperson added that Kearney was being rested due to his heavy international work-load but could have featured this weekend if head coach Matt O’Connor needed him to play.
