Kieran told to play his own game

“POCKET rocket” Kieran Marmion has been told to stick to his own game as he steps into Conor Murray’s shoes tomorrow.

The 26-year-old Connacht scrum-half is being backed to perform by Joe Schmidt, who still regards him as his main back-up to the world-class Munster nine.

Schmidt said: “I’m just looking for him to slot in really, not to try too hard, not to try to play too individually.

“Not that he would. The last time he came in at short notice he really did a super job for us.

“We know how good a defender he is. He’s a little pocket rocket.

“So he’ll slot in, he’ll plug the front defensive line, he’ll work his way across the pitch looking to make sure he’s got anything in behind covered as well.”

Marmion is partnered at half-back by Johnny Sexton and Schmidt expects the duo to dovetail well despite a “truncated” preparation.

He added: “He’ll get good direction from Johnny, which I think will help him, and the fact they’ve played together quite a bit in little cameos, but also in that game (against England) a couple of years ago, so they know each other well enough.”