Ireland star Conor Murray admits he is full of confidence as he prepares for a new era at Munster under head coach Rassie Erasmus.
The 27-year-old scrum-half and two-time RBS 6 Nations winner is set for an eighth season with the province, looking to add to an impressive 50-cap haul with Ireland which began with his debut against France in 2011.
A year later, Murray made the first of his 23 RBS 6 Nations appearances to date, starting every game as Ireland claimed back-to-back Championships in 2014 and 2015.
And ahead of his first season under the tutelage of Erasmus, the half-back is looking forward to flourishing ahead of a big year with both club and country.
“We’ve [Munster] got a massive year this year. We’ve got a massive November, a massive year for the province. It’s got a new look to it and speaking to the lads while I’ve been away, they’re really enthusiastic about it,” said Murray, who finished joint second in the 2016 RBS 6 Nations try-scoring table with three behind Wales’ George North.
“Rassie and Jacques (Nienaber, defence coach) have instilled a new look and a new freshness. With Felix (Jones) there, Axel (Anthony Foley) there, and Fla (Jerry Flannery), lads that you know really well, there’s still a good bit of experience there and the lads are just loving training at the moment. It’s just a breath of fresh air.
“It’s a new philosophy, a new voice. There’s a lot of emphasis on physicality and dominating your opposition, which is very South African. The way we’ve been trying to play in the breakdown, we’ve been using it for the last year and it’s still there.
“We have new voices, new players coming back, a lot of combinations make it that fresh. I’m looking forward to getting back; I genuinely can’t wait.”
