The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Sexton backs ‘wise decision’ by Murray
Johnny Sexton has backed Conor Murray’s “smart” decision not to make Saturday’s New Zealand clash his first match in five months.
Scrum-half Murray has not played since damaging his neck on Ireland’s summer tour to Australia in June, and was omitted from the 42-man autumn squad.
Head coach Joe Schmidt revealed Murray would be allowed to make the call himself as to whether he was ready to take on the All Blacks in Dublin, and Ireland have now confirmed the 29-year-old will not feature.
Potent centre Robbie Henshaw will also miss Saturday’s crunch clash with a hamstring injury in a double blow to the hosts, but talisman fly-half Sexton insisted Murray was wise not to take any risks.
“I obviously stayed in touch with Conor a lot over the injury to see how he has been getting on and all the time he’s been improving, but I suppose he’s just trying to make sure he can get it right from now and it not be an issue going forward,” said
Sexton.
“It’s probably a smart thing. It’s a big ask. If you’re out for a few weeks and you’re asked to play the All Blacks, that’s tough enough. But if you’re out for the period of time he has been out for, it would be a big step in.
“Hopefully, we’ll see him back soon, I’m not sure how soon but obviously he’s a quality player, we’d hope to have him back, whether Munster or Ireland, whenever he can.”