Page 43 - All Blacks v Lions - First Test

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Conor Murray has won a series with the British & Irish Lions and beaten the All Blacks with Ireland – now he’s hoping to repeat both feats, with tonight the rst crucial step. WORDS: ROBERT KITSON
THERE HAS BEEN A
common denominator whenever New Zealand sides have lost to Northern Hemisphere opposition
of late, and his name is Conor Murray. The British & Irish Lions have enjoyed two particularly impressive wins on
this tour, both with Murray at halfback. And who was the outstanding player in Chicago last year when Ireland downed the All Blacks? The Munster man consistently rises to the big occasions.
Few come bigger than tonight’s Eden Park showdown. Should the Lions win, it’s a reasonable bet the 28-year-old Murray will again be closely involved. He may not be an obvious whippet, but his strength, commitment and passing are all key features of his game. And then there’s his kicking. Watch closely when Murray opts to launch a box kick from the base of the scrum. You won’t nd a No 9 who connects as sweetly with the ball anywhere in the world game.
At 1.88m tall and weighing 94kg, he’s taller and heavier than his All Blacks counterparts Aaron Smith, TJ Perenara and Tawera Kerr-Barlow. Having come off the bench in the second and third Lions Tests against Australia in 2013, he looks assured and comfortable
in this intense environment, too. If the All Blacks are seeking a weak link, they won’t nd it here, particularly on a damp
night when a good kicking game assumes even greater importance.
If the Lions are to win the Series, it would certainly make it hard to look beyond the Limerick-born Murray for the title of world’s best halfback. Not that he’s personally bothered by that debate – he remains far more motivated by the challenge of upsetting the All Blacks. The 32-10 win over the Maori All Blacks in Rotorua last Saturday has merely added to his belief that the 2017 Lions are a gathering force. “There’s
“It’s easier said than done, but against the All Blacks, you’ve got to keep attacking them.”
excitement there that the potential is growing,” he says. “We want to see how good we are.”
If he needs further inspiration, he need only look back to that blazing Chicago day in November when Ireland created history by beating New Zealand 40-29. It was the rst time in 111 years of trying that the Irish had managed to beat the All Blacks, and Murray played the game of his life. “A good game for me is when you do all your basics well
and then have three or four standout moments when you express yourself and do something good,” Murray says. “That afternoon, things went really well. It was roasting. A beautiful day. In a way it could scare you because you knew the All Blacks would love that, too.
But we played really well and put
them under pressure. One thing against the All Blacks – and it’s way easier said than done – you’ve got to keep attacking them. Keep going at them.”
Murray also recalls the closing moments clearly. “The fans were up high and shouting down at us,” he says. “The noise was deafening. I remember running back with Rob Kearney and he was shouting: ‘Keep your head switched on!’ I said: ‘Man, that’s it. It’s the 78th minute. They’re not going to score a try, convert it and score again.’ He was like: ‘You’re right, you’re right.’ We knew then we’d have a good night. I had my dad and mates over from Ireland and New York and loads of cousins. It almost felt local. Normally you’re just so tired you don’t feel like celebrating, but we did that night.”
And why not? It also served as a tting tribute to the late Anthony “Axel” Foley, Murray’s Coach at Munster, who passed away suddenly in October at the age of 42 while over in Paris with his team for a European Champions Cup pool game. Foley was a signi cant gure in Murray’s life and his loss is still keenly felt. “When you lose someone, you go:
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