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Rugby

03rd Oct 2015

MMA bedroom scraps proving as popular as ever in Ireland’s World Cup camp

Battle rages on

Patrick McCarry

Perfect preparation for the white-hot World Cup battlefields.

Conor Murray insists that MMA tussles are still going strong in the Irish Rugby camp.

The Munster scrum-half, who starts against Italy tomorrow, is a massive fan of mixed martial arts and was front and centre, in Carton House, earlier this year when the team cheered on Conor Murray’s UFC 189 title win.

Murray posted this video [below] during Ireland’s Six Nations campaign. He lost to Felix Jones that day but jokes that his victories were not always captured on camera.

https://instagram.com/p/1lAleZyb0-/

Jones was unfortunate to miss out on World Cup selection but, despite his absence, the MMA bouts have continued.

“Earlsy [Keith Earls] has replaced Felix in that department.

“He gives me the hiding the odd time and there but I’ve won a few of them.”

Asked if Earls had any go-to moves, Murray remarked, “I dunno but he learned it in Moyross anyway.”

Conor Murray, Jonathan Sexton and Keith Earls 29/8/2015

Murray also expanded on the return of Italy’s Sergio Parisse and Ireland’s third different backline in their last seven games.

https://instagram.com/p/8X-jY2lVTA/?taken-by=sportsjoedotie

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