IRFU breaks bank with Murray deal
CONOR MURRAY is set to become one of the biggest earners on the IRFU payroll next season after signing a three-year deal to remain with Munster until 2022.
When top-ups are taken into account, the star scrum-half could take home more than €700,000 (£610.000) per season.
According to the IRFU — who don’t comment on the specifics of contracts — the deal was signed in September, thus heading off any potential interest from abroad in the two-time Lions tourist. And the good news for the province and country kept coming when the 29-yearold revealed that he was nearing a return to action after missing the first six games of the season with a neck injury.
No detail has been disclosed about the issue at the player’s request and he is not available for Saturday’s European opener against Exeter Chiefs, but there is faint hope he could play a part against Gloucester in round two and in Ireland’s November internationals.
was a pretty easy decision really, it didn’t take long for me to decide,” said Murray.
“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 I get to look forward to doing it more hopefully.
“There’s been a lot said about it (the injury). I’m back on the pitch and I’m training with the lads so hopefully sooner rather than later I’ll be able to put on the jersey again.
“Over the past few seasons I’ve enjoyed great days in the green of Ireland and the red of my home province Munster.
“I love playing here and look forward to making more lifelong memories in the next few years.”
The British and Irish Lions scrum-half is currently sidelined with a neck injury, but the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) have moved quickly to tie up new terms for the 29-year-old — just six weeks into the new season.
Ireland’s performance director David Nucifora lauded Murray as “genuinely world-class”, to underscore the 67-cap half-back’s importance to boss Schmidt’s Test match set-up.
“Conor is a genuinely worldclass player and he has illustrated this through the consistent quality of the performances he delivers for both Ireland and Munster,” said IRFU perfor“It mance director Nucifora.
“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.”
His previous IRFU contract was due to end after the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan and he had recently been linked with a move to several French Top14 clubs.
He started every match of Ireland’s Grand Slam-winning Six Nations campaign this year, kicking a decisive penalty in the victory against England, and he played all but two minutes of the three-Test series against the Wallabies in June.