A man seemingly built for the big occasion, Ireland’s star scrum-half Conor Murray has been nominated for the 2018 NatWest 6 Nations Player of the Championship award.
The 28-year-old strung up a succession of impressive performances as he helped Joe Schmidt’s troops etch their names in the history books with an historic Grand Slam, the third time they have dispatched all comers in Rugby’s Greatest Championship.
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An ever-present that started every game, this is the third time Murray, who made his NatWest 6 Nations debut against Wales in 2012, has been a part of a NatWest 6 Nations-winning squad – Ireland were also champions in 2014 and 2015.
The two-time British & Irish Lion further cemented his reputation as one of the finest scrum-halves of the planet, and began his 2018 campaign by playing the full 80 minutes of Ireland’s dramatic 15-13 victory over France in Paris in Round One, Jonathan Sexton’s last-gasp drop goal settling matters.
In Round Two, Murray was one of six different Irish try-scorers as the eventual champions defeated Italy 56-19 at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, the Leinster man going over in the 14th minute after fine work from Jacob Stockdale and Jack Conan.
Murray also had an influential role in the hosts’ impressive showing against the Azzurri that day, earning the man-of-the-match award.
Against Wales in Round Three, Murray featured for 80 minutes and slotted away a late penalty before he grabbed his second try of the 2018 Championship on home soil once again, darting over the line from a rolling maul as Schmidt’s men sealed the title.
Greatness awaited at Twickenham in Round Five and, as ever, Murray rose to the occasion as Ireland defeated England 24-15 to seal the Grand Slam, showing authority in abundance and kicking a penalty for good measure on a memorable day for Irish rugby.
