6 Nations
Murray: I Couldn’t Think Of A Better Group To Reach 100 Caps With
He is the first scrum half to reach the century milestone, having had a rapid rise as a 22-year-old to play at the 2011 Rugby World Cup and shown impressive consistency over the years in the number 9 jersey.
The Limerick man has won three Six Nations titles with Ireland, including the 2018 Grand Slam, and two Triple Crowns. His 15-try haul includes his famous score against New Zealand in Chicago six years ago.
Asked about what it will mean for him to join some of his former team-mates in the 100-cap club, Murray said: “It will be a very proud day for me, for my family more importantly with the commitment they’ve shown to be at pretty much all the games.
“I couldn’t think of a better group of players to reach that milestone with, given how competitive we are, what we’ve done in the last year.
“It’s incredible, it’s probably the first full year I’ve spent not starting and, oddly enough, it’s been the most enjoyable year or two. It is a a hugely proud moment (to reach 100 caps) and it’s a privilege, a cool list to be on.”
That list of legendary Irish Rugby figures includes two of Murray’s current team-mates, Cian Healy and Jonathan Sexton, and Paul O’Connell, the current Ireland forwards coach and the scrum half’s former captain at Munster.
It is made up of Brian O’Driscoll (133), Ronan O’Gara (128), Rory Best (124), Healy (118), O’Connell (108), Sexton (108) and John Hayes (105).
Murray has played in three World Cups and toured three times with the British & Irish Lions, helping them to win the 2013 Series in Australia. He was voted onto World Rugby’s Team of the Decade for 2010-2019.
At the heart of Murray’s outstanding international career is his ever-enduring half-back partnership with Jonathan Sexton. The pair will start together for Ireland for the 65th time this weekend, 14 short of the world record set by Australia’s Stephen Larkham and George Gregan.
The possessor of a top class pass and excellent kicking skills, whether of the box-kicking variety or a long range penalty strike, the 33-year-old Munster star has had his starting opportunities limited by the form of Leinster’s Jamison Gibson-Park.
However, he remains a quality operator and, at the start of a new international season, is determined to put his best foot forward ahead of a massive year for Andy Farrell’s men.
“In the last year or two my opportunities to start have reduced and it’s about having that drive – listen to the coaches, see what they want from you,” said Murray.
“The competitive spirit is still there. My goal is to get starting and be the number 9 in the Irish team and that’s always been my goal. It takes a bit of getting used to. It refocuses you.
“Jamison has been playing brilliantly over the last year and that’s driving the standards of myself and Craig (Casey) and whoever else comes in.
“With the type of game we’re playing, Andy and Mike (Catt) are very open and honest and that’s something that players really appreciate.
Sometimes previously – and you hear it from other players as well – coaches can give them willy-nilly excuses. It could be anything.
“Like, it’s very easy for a coach to say, ‘look, a few of your passes were down, and I want you to work on that’. Whereas they’ll give you the feedback that you definitely agree with because you’re probably seeing the same things as well.
“That’s something players really appreciate, so then you can go away and set up a list of goals, or a training routine, that will help improve that. I think that’s really refreshing, to have that type of feedback from coaches.”
Murray has faced South Africa on nine previous occasions with Ireland and the Lions, including last year’s first Test win during the Covid-19-impacted Lions Series in Cape Town.
He was victorious with the national team in 2014, 2016 and 2017, memorably running in a try during the 2016 first Test at Newlands Stadium which marked Ireland’s first ever triumph over the Springboks on South African soil.
He was of course coached by Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber at Munster, but it is his former provincial team-mate, South African assistant coach and European-based coaching consultant Felix Jones, who he is wary of in terms of potentially flipping the script.
“The Springboks try and impose themselves on other teams through physicality. Over the 10 years, their game-plan hasn’t historically changed too much, because it works,” he acknowledged.
“When it comes to World Cups and big competitions, they tend to be there or thereabouts because of the style of rugby that they play. Some call it low-risk or whatever – it’s rugby inside a phone box at times.
“They have a back-three that are really lethal, and if the game does break up they are guys that’ll really punish you.
“But I think you might see a certain picture on a Saturday and it could be completely different, because they’ve got Felix who likes to tinker with the plan.
“He’s quite an intelligent coach. That’s when it’s dangerous, when you think you know someone and then they present something different on the weekend.”
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) is delighted to announce the return of the ‘A’ Interprovincial Men’s Championship which will kick off next month.
The times and dates of the opening three rounds of the Championship before Christmas have been confirmed, with a similar points-scoring system as used in the URC. A Championship winner will be declared after the final round of matches in May and the IRFU will be commissioning a legacy trophy to mark the 150th anniversary celebrations.
Welcoming the news, IRFU Performance Director David Humphreys commented:
“We’re delighted to kick-start the Men’s ‘A’ Interprovincial Championship which will provide a host of players with a further means of developing in a meaningful competition. With the success of the Emerging Ireland Tours, coupled with the return of an ‘A’ international against England next year, it is vital that we continue to provide players at provincial and Club levels with opportunities to impress outside of the traditional URC and EPCR fixture windows.
“Discussions have been ongoing for some time to provide players with meaningful games and all four provinces are unanimously supportive of this competition. It is also great to see provinces taking matches around their local Clubs.
“It is anticipated that as the competition progresses over the coming seasons these fixtures won’t clash with Energia All-Ireland League fixtures for the most part, thus potentially also offering players from the Club game with an opportunity to impress.
“This competition will form another important part of the representative pathway from Energia AIL to URC levels for Academy players upwards over the coming seasons.”
The dates for the post-Christmas fixtures will be confirmed in due course. Ticket details will be confirmed via the respective provinces.
IRFU 150 Interprovincial ‘A’ Championship Fixtures:
Saturday, 16th November:
Connacht Eagles v Leinster ‘A’ (Creggs RFC, 1pm)
Friday, 22nd November:
Ulster ‘A’ v Connacht Eagles (Ballymacaran Park, 3pm), Leinster ‘A’ v Munster ‘A’ (Lakelands, 5pm)
Friday, 29th November:
Munster ‘A’ v Ulster ‘A’ (New Ormond Park, 3pm)
Friday, 20th December:
Ulster ‘A’ v Munster ‘A’ (tbc, 3pm)
Saturday, 21st December:
Leinster ‘A’ v Connacht Eagles (Ollie Campbell Park, 2pm)
Weekend of 28/29 December:
Connacht Eagles v Ulster ‘A’ (tbc), Munster ‘A’ v Leinster ‘A’ (tbc)
Weekend of 9/10 May:
Connacht Eagles v Munster ‘A’ (tbc), Leinster ‘A’ v Ulster ‘A’ (tbc)
Weekend of 16/17 May:
Munster ‘A’ v Connacht Eagles (tbc), Ulster ‘A’ v Leinster ‘A’ (tbc)
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
The Emerging Ireland team to face the Cheetahs in the final game of the three-match series in Bloemfontein on Wednesday evening (kick off 6pm Irish time, 7pm local time) has been named.
Leinster’s James Culhane will lead the team and he forms a new back-row alongside Harry Sheridan and Sean Edogbo, who makes his first start of the tour having come on as a replacement in the 29-24 win over Western Force on Sunday afternoon. Former Ireland Under-20 captain Evan O’Connell locks down with Darragh Murray, who featured in the opening 36-24 victory over the Pumas, with Alex Usanov named in the front row alongside hooker Stephen Smyth and Jack Aungier.
Darragh Murray of Emerging Ireland scores his sides second try – Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Steve Haag Sports/Darren Stewart
In the backline, Sam Prendergast starts his third game of the tour at out-half and he will be partnered by Cormac Foley, who featured as a second half replacements against the Australian Super Rugby side last time out. Connacht’s Hugh Gavin forms a midfield partnership with Hugh Cooney, with Ulster’s Zac Ward named in an exciting back tree alongside the returning Ben O’Connor at full-back and Andrew Osborne who moves to the right wing.
Munster loosehead prop George Hadden, who was called up to the squad last weekend, is set to make his first appearance after being named on the bench alongside Conor O’Tighearnaigh and Alex Soroka who started Sunday’s win. Hadden’s provincial team-mate Danny Sheahan provides cover once more at hooker, while Scott Wilson and Charlie Tector are also named on the bench for the Toyota Stadium clash alongside out-half Jack Murphy.
Looking ahead to the game, Emerging Ireland Head Coach Simon Easterby said: “When we set out at the beginning of our pre-camp in Dublin, we knew about the challenge of facing three sides in a week and we knew that every player in the group would have the opportunity to play his part. To a man each player has given his all so far and we are aiming to finish off the series with another positive performance on Wednesday.
The Cheetahs are a fiercely proud and strong side and it should be a lively game with a vocal home support behind them. It has been a fruitful past few weeks to date and we have learned a lot. While our performances haven’t been perfect, the players have embraced the challenge and played some brilliant rugby at times. The action has come thick and fast and we know that we have to be clinical in our execution. We will need to go up another level on Wednesday to get the performance we want and hopefully finish the tour on a high.”
Wednesday’s game will be broadcast once more on IrishRugby+ – click here.
Emerging Ireland (v The Cheetahs, Wednesday, October 9, 7pm local time, 6pm Irish time)
15: Ben O’Connor (UCC RFC/Munster)
14: Andrew Osborne (Naas RFC/Leinster)
13: Hugh Cooney (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
12: Hugh Gavin (Galwegians RFC/Connacht)
11: Zac Ward (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster/Ireland Sevens)
10: Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne FC/Leinster)
9: Cormac Foley (Lansdowne FC/Leinster)
1: Alex Usanov (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
2: Stephen Smyth (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster)
3: Jack Aungier (Clontarf FC/Connacht)
4: Evan O’Connell (Young Munster RFC/Munster)
5: Darragh Murray (Buccaneers RFC/Connacht)
6: Harry Sheridan (Dublin University FC/Ulster)
7: Sean Edogbo (UCC RFC/Munster)
8: James Culhane (UCD RFC/Leinster) (captain)
Replacements:
16: Danny Sheahan (Cork Constitution FC/Munster)
17: George Hadden (Garryowen FC/Munster)
18: Scott Wilson (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster)
19: Conor O’Tighearnaigh (UCD RFC/Leinster)
20: Alex Soroka (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
21: Matthew Devine (Corinthians RFC/Connacht)
22: Jack Murphy (Clontarf FC/Ulster)
23: Charlie Tector (Lansdowne FC/Leinster)
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
Following Emerging Ireland’s 29-24 victory over Western Force in Bloemfontein on Sunday three players, Gus McCarthy (Leinster), Sean O’Brien (Munster) and Jude Postlethwaite (Ulster) will return to their provinces.
The trio will leave South Africa on Monday afternoon and will be available for selection for their respective URC fixtures this weekend.
The squad will visit Heidedal Township this afternoon and will conclude the three-match series on Wednesday evening against The Cheetahs (kick off 7pm local, 6pm Irish time). That match will be live on irishrugby+
Watch the full match back here on irishrugby+
Check out the highlights from the win against Western Force below.
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
IRFU Announces Return Of ‘A’ Interprovincial Championship
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