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Steve Hansen: 'Conor Murray will play'
By Online Editors
All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen believes that star Ireland halfback Conor Murray will suit up when his side march into the Aviva on Saturday.
"Big players get up and if they think they are right to play, then let them play," Hansen said. "They are competitors and Conor Murray is a real competitor. If he says he is right to play, he will be right to play."
Murray hasn't played since June but has been training with the Ireland squad and is yet to be ruled out of appearing against the All Blacks this weekend.
"I am not saying that to cause any stirring," Hansen added. "I just think he is a real competitor, he will want to play and if he's got the chance I'm picking he will want to play.
"If it was one of our guys in the same boat, he would be putting his hand up to play."
Hansen also said the Irish halves pairing of Murray and Jonny Sexton were two of the world's best.
"Right across the park, they are a good team. Tactically they are smart, they are good in the air. I am assuming Conor Murray will play, so they have got a good spine.
"He and Sexton are two of the best players in the world, so they will drive them around the park good."
Murray and Sexton combined for the Lions when they played the All Blacks last year, and also played a crucial role in Ireland's maiden victory over New Zealand, a 40-29 beating in Chicago in 2016.
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Latest Comments
“Explain clearly how that’s not an achievement?”
It is an achievement. It is less of an achievement than he managed with Barcelona. You said that ”He has gotten better with age. By every measure.” He hasn’t. Doesn’t mean he isn’t still extremely good though!
”I thought you don’t care what certain managers did 10 years ago…”
are you really this incapable of understanding the context of what I’m saying? My point is that Gatland was a good coach ten years ago, and isn’t a good coach now. So what he did ten years ago is relevant to whether he was good ten years ago - that is pretty basic stuff.
On the other hand, what Les Kiss did ten years ago isn’t relevant to how good he is now, just as what Gatland did ten years ago isn’t relevant to how good he is now.
”So you haven’t watched even a minute of Super Rugby this year?”
I was replying to your comment, given you have the memory of a goldfish and are unable to scroll up, I’m remind you what you said:
“Ireland won a long over due slam in 2009. The last embers of a golden generation was kicked on by a handful of young new players and a new senior coach. Kiss was brought in as defence coach and was the reason they won it. They’d the best defence in the game at the time. He all but invented the choke tackle. Fittingly they backed it up in the next world cup in their 2011 pool match against… Australia. The instantly iconic image of Will Genia getting rag-dolled by Stephen Ferris.”
Go to commentsMaybe, but it was not my comment. I just wanted to say that a lot of these articles which are speaking of top14 clubs interest in players transfer on all the planet are not all very serious. But if it helps these players for better contracts, why not…
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