THE Main man
Gibson-Park has become Ireland’s most important player, which in turn leaves Murray vulnerable
“There is a scarcity of options beyond Casey”
AQUESTION about online abuse directed at Andy Farrell brings his eldest child to mind immediately.
Owen Farrell stepped away from Test rugby, worn down by the abuse of the online haters.
When Farrell was asked about social media abuse on Thursday, though, the subjects were his Ireland players, and to be frank, it came as a surprising topic to most people in the room.
Perhaps this damns our insensitivity to this topic, but it is not unusual to see some entirely unhinged comments and claims made on X and Instagram after an adverse result, and the reliably hysterical take on the loss in some quarters was to be expected.
Andrew Conway mentioned ‘the hate and vitriol’ aimed at players following the England defeat, and Farrell was later asked specifically about Conor Murray being a target for these usually anonymous trolls.
It gave the coach a chance to stoutly defend a player who will win his 116th cap today, and who is the greatest scrum-half the country has yet produced.
Yet care is needed, as always, in distinguishing between abuse and rational analysis. And when his display off the bench in London is scrutinised, it shows that he came up short – but it also reveals Ireland’s dependence on Jamison Gibson-Park to play the game the way Farrell wants.
And it’s a reminder that there is a cost to persisting with Murray over Craig Casey, the man who has deposed him at Munster and who is much more in the mould of Gibson-Park.
News of Murray agreeing a oneyear contract with Munster emerged four days after his travails.
The deal with the province, supplemented by the IRFU centrally, had been anticipated, but reports it has been agreed came at a time when the focus on the veteran’s future is acute. He came on for Ciarán Frawley with half an hour to play against England. Frawley had replaced Calvin Nash in the fifth minute but, like Nash, was lost to a head injury. That meant the outstanding Gibson-Park was taken from scrum half.
The Leinster No9 is Ireland’s established starter for the past three seasons because of the quick pace he guarantees, the quality of his passing and his extensive set of skills.
Murray cannot play the game the way Gibson-Park does, and that had an impact on their efforts to build a consistent platform in the third quarter.
He came in for particular flak following his clearing kick with a minute and a half remaining, and Ireland hanging on to a twopoint lead.
But Simon Easterby, the defence coach, suggested earlier this week that Murray had kicked for touch rather than try and turn England with a long kick down field, with the blessing of the coaches’ box.
It invited the pressure, of course, that led to Marcus Smith’s winning drop goal, with the home team enjoying a penalty advantage, but scrutiny on Ireland’s scrum-half options should depend on more than one decision taken by a vastly experienced player. And after a break in play that allowed the team an extended discussion about what they should do with possession from the line-out that restarted play, and which eventually brought possession into Murray’s hands. And even if Murray has been deposed by Casey as Munster’s starting scrum half, that hasn’t altered Farrell’s Ireland thinking.
Murray featured in all five matches at the Rugby World Cup, covering Gibson-Park off the bench and limiting Casey to 25 minutes as a sub against Tonga.
The latter has won 14 Test caps, but only four of them are starts. Three of them have come against Italy, the latest in the Six Nations game at the Aviva Stadium last month.
But he is the only scrum-half in the Irish set-up in his 20s. That makes him the long-term favourite to take the No9 jersey, while also pointing up the scarcity of options beyond him.
Gibson-Park turned 32 last month, and will be 35 by the time the next World Cup starts. Murray will turn 35 on April 20; Casey turns 25 the day before.
If Farrell will trust that a coming talent will emerge in the provinces in the next three seasons – and Paddy Patterson at Munster is impressive, but behind Casey – in the shorter term there is a compelling case to expose Casey with at least one start on the two-Test tour to South Africa in July.
There was no surprise that Farrell stayed true to Murray in the match-day 23 for today, nor was it unexpected that he stood by Peter O’Mahony.
Loyalty has been a central part of his tenure, but managing what comes next is vital.
The importance of that transition was shown in Twickenham.
Jack Crowley has settled well at out-half, but not all batons are passed so smoothly.
Not every veteran will get to walk away at a time of his own choosing, as Johnny Sexton did.
Murray’s Ireland race may not be run, and he will, if fit, be part of the South African tour.
But his difficulty in London was a sharp reminder that planning for what comes next is becoming a priority.