MUNSTER DIRECTOR OF rugby Rassie Erasmus said he doesn’t think Conor Murray’s frustrating shoulder injury will end his season and force him to miss the Lions tour to New Zealand.
Erasmus all but ruled the scrum-half out of Munster’s Champions Cup semi-final against Saracens on Saturday in Dublin, which takes place more than six weeks after Murray first suffered a ‘stinger’ during Ireland’s Six Nations defeat to Wales.
With Murray continuing to feel the effects of nerve damage in his shoulder, it’s unclear exactly when he will return to action, but Erasmus said he doesn’t think surgery will be required to remedy the problem.
“I don’t think so,” said Erasmus. “He’s improving, he’s just slowly improving. I guess with the bigger picture, the Lions series and stuff coming up this season and at his age, he has a long future ahead of him. We’re just being really careful with the guy.
“It’s such important games we’re playing now. I don’t think it will be a long-term, surgery, injury. When a nerve gets a good bang it takes time to heal. I think he will be good to go for the Lions series and hopefully sooner for ourselves.”
Missing Murray again this weekend would be a huge blow for Munster’s hopes of advancing into the Champions Cup semi-final and Erasmus said that the player himself is more frustrated than anyone.
Still, Murray is mature enough to recognise that playing through an injury now could damage his longer-term prospects in rugby.
“He would play for his local club if he could,” said Erasmus. “He would train every day if he could, so not being able to play in a quarter-final or semi-final for us is hugely frustrating.
“He’s also got a level head on his shoulders and knows that next year he might be smiling and saying, ‘It was a wise decision, look at me, I’m all good. I can play and nothing is wrong,’ whereas to maybe push him now to play would be stupid. He’s frustrated but his head is all good.”
Murray has still not taken any contact on his shoulder since Ireland’s defeat in Cardiff on 10 March, although he has done the running, team patterns and non-contact portions of Munster’s training sessions in recent weeks.
He will not take contact on the shoulder until it is completely pain-free and full power has returned. When that will be is “a difficult one to predict,” according to Erasmus, as he urged everyone to be patient.
Murray’s ongoing issues mean the path is clear for Duncan Williams to start the semi-final this weekend, having filled in impressive in the nine shirt during the quarter-final win over Toulouse.
Williams was rested for last weekend’s win over Ulster in the Pro12 after feeling some tightness in his groin, but Erasmus said he will definitely be ready to go against Saracens.
Well, he’s 32-years-old, experience,” said Erasmus when asked what qualities Williams will bring for Munster. “How many games has he played for us, just this season? How many try-saving tackles has he made? I think, for me, he is one of the unsung heroes.
“I’ve said it a few times, I know there are people who differ [in opinion] but I see him sitting doing video sessions and his contribution, on and off the field, and his knowledge of the game is really top notch.
“The thing that Duncan brings to the table is sometimes the non-flashy stuff which really gels a team together. He’ll put up a good show and I have full confidence in him.”
- This article was updated at 2.33pm to correct ‘stringer’ to ‘stinger’ in the second paragraph.
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