Ireland international and Munster scrumhalf Conor Murray says he is brimming with confidence as he awaits the start of the new era under Rassie Erasmus.
The 27-year-old Limerick man is on the cusp of his eighth season as part of the Munster senior set-up and a first working under the guidance of the South African.
Johan “Rassie” Erasmus was in the running for the Springbok head coach job before he chose Munster term earlier this summer.
Dumped out
The 36-time capped Springbok joins along his fellow countryman, and defence coach Jacques Nienaber.
Murray has played 85 times for Munster and has 50 Ireland caps, but he could not prevent the team from struggling in the Pro12 and in Europe last year when Munster were knocked out of the pool phase in the Champions Cup.
The Garryowen clubman is delighted that there will be a fresh approach in 2016 and he can’t wait to get going.
“We’ve 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.
“Rassie and Jacques 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.”
Murray, speaking at the launch of Munster’s alternative strip at Life Style Sports in Cork said that the opening of the new training facility at University of Limerick also represented a new start.
“The new training centre on top of that as well, it just feels like you’re going back to almost a new club. It’s probably well timed after what happened last year.
‘New philosphy’
“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.
“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,” he said.
Meanwhile, Francis Saili is hoping for a better season after a disappointing maiden campaign. Saili joined Munster from the Auckland Blues last year but the two-time capped All Black failed to live up to his billing in an underachieving team.
The 25-year-old Auckland native played 22 times and scored four tries from centre but failed to ignite Munster’s backline on a consistent basis. He said: “It was frustrating last season to be honest, we knew it was a bad year for us and we will take all the learning curves from that.
“I came into pre-season last year and it was a bit difficult because I had been playing the New Zealand style but the new staff in now have a good energy about it, a good passion about it.”
