PATRICKSWELL’S Conor Murray will join a select grouping with 100 International Senior caps this weekend when he plays in Ireland’s opening match in the Autumn Fixture series against South Africa.
The milestone will put Murray, 33, in the same elite company as fellow Limerickmen Paul O’Connell and John Hayes, along with Brian O’Driscoll, Ronan O’Gara, Rory Best, Cian Healy and Johnny Sexton.
“It’s exciting because I suppose your family – you have to get them stop talking about it because they know it’s coming up too and they’re trying to find out when it is and who to invite, and tickets and all that stuff,” he acknowledged in the Irish Independent.
“It is a special day, definitely, but being honest my main focus coming into camp here is to try and play as much as I can; play well in an Irish jersey and then see where that leaves me. That’s genuinely my view, my focus for this campaign.”
He continued: “I know I’m close to a 100 and it’ll be great, it’ll be a proud moment and you’ll celebrate and stuff when the time is right, but I’m not coming into camp trying to get my 100. I’m coming into camp to get minutes and play well and contribute to the team. That’s not a media answer. That’s genuinely my priority.”
“If it comes true – hopefully it does – it will be a very, very proud day for me, my family more importantly, what with the commitment they’ve shown throughout my career so far, to be at pretty much all the games, home or away.
“It would be great to do it with a group that’s where we are at the moment, how competitive we are, what we’ve done in the last year. I couldn’t think of a better group to reach that milestone with, to be honest.”
Murray made his international senior debut against France in August 2011.
