Conor Murray signs on and targets November Tests return

Conor Murray is targeting the November internationals for his return to action as he celebrates inking a new three-year IRFU deal which will make him the highest paid player in Irish rugby history.

Conor Murray signs on and targets November Tests return

Conor Murray is targeting the November internationals for his return to action as he celebrates inking a new three-year IRFU deal which will make him the highest paid player in Irish rugby history.

Murray — who well-placed sources also suggest is in the frame to be named world player of the year next month — has forsaken the lures of France for his native Munster by agreeing a lucrative new contract which will keep him in red until 2022.

When Simon Zebo entertained his former team-mate in the French capital along with Racing 92 colleagues Donnacha Ryan and Finn Russell late last month and cheekily added #recruitment to his Instagram post, alarm bells did not exactly ring loudly but there was enough of a tinkle to give pause for thought.

Turns out Murray had, a couple of weeks prior to his French excursion, put pen to paper on a new three-year deal with the IRFU beyond his current contract that runs to the end of next autumn’s Rugby World Cup in Japan.

That gives both province and national team a huge vote of confidence that they can not only provide this world-class player with a suitable salary and working environment but also, significantly, match his ambitions. The agreement is reputed to be worth in the region of €750,000 a year, including bonuses.

“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.”

Murray is yet to play this season after sustaining a neck injury but he has resumed training and though he is not yet taking contact, the Patrickswell native is looking forward to a return to action.

“There’s been a lot said about it. I’m back on the pitch training with the lads so hopefully sooner rather than later I’ll be able to put on the jersey again.”

Sources indicate that could be next month, with the All Blacks game on November 17 at the Aviva an obvious target, presuming there are no setbacks in the interim. That will mean he remains out of contention for this weekend’s Heineken Champions Cup opener at Exeter Chiefs and next Saturday’s visit of Gloucester to Thomond Park.

The Guinness Series internationals in November, when Joe Schmidt’s team play Argentina, New Zealand, and the USA in Dublin, remain a more realistic target.

For Murray, those European matches in red were a significant part of his decision-making process when he put pen to paper.

“There were a lot of things in my head when I was considering signing on and having a stadium like Thomond Park and filling it for European games, there’s nothing like it. You get to do it at least three times a year and hopefully a home quarter-final and it’s a really special time to be a Munster player when you get to play for Munster in Europe.

“A lot of the awaydays in France, just to see the travelling support and what it means to people and what they’re willing to spend. They work really hard and spend their hard-earned money travelling around after us. The last few seasons we’ve gotten quite close so hopefully we can, in the next two or three years, push on.”

The lure of continuing to represent his country, something his good friend Zebo has forsaken in favour of pastures new, was another contributory factor for Murray.

“I’ve managed to have some great days in the green jersey over the past few seasons and that was obviously part of the reason why I wanted to stay, to experience that again. We’ve a great team and a great set-up here at the moment and we’re a really competitive squad, a competitive group that want to win every game they play in.

“Looking ahead to November, we’ve a great chance. Obviously, everybody’s talking about the All Blacks game but two tough games before that. Obviously, that’s a massive, massive Test, to see where we’re at.”

Announcing Murray’s new IRFU-funded deal must have been a satisfying day’s work for the governing body for it represents a good piece of business keeping one of its star assets on board well beyond the conclusion of what will be the scrum-half’s third World Cup. It also sets the tone for further negotiations with other players on central contracts which expire in November 2019, such as Robbie Henshaw and Keith Earls.

“Conor is a genuinely world-class player and he has illustrated this through the consistent quality of the performances he delivers for both Ireland and Munster,” IRFU performance director David Nucifora said yesterday.

“He has played a central role in driving the success that has been achieved at national level and we are delighted that he will continue to play his rugby in Ireland for at least the next three seasons.”

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