Conor Murray insists he never lost consciousness following a collision during last weekend’s Pro12 match against Glasgow and is fully fit to line out for Munster against Racing Metro in the Champions Cup on Saturday.
The scrum-half was removed from the field of play after clashing with Tim Swinson during Munster’s 14-12 win and underwent a head injury assessment.
Although replays of the incident suggested Murray was unconscious for a moment, the number 9 said he has been closely monitored since and passed all the HIA protocols and is fully fit for the weekend.
“They didn’t suspect that I had lost consciousness, which is the most important thing, and I came back on and finished the game and have felt fine since"
Murray said: “The last few days I’ve been working with the medics and physios and just making sure I’m ok, following all the protocols that you have to follow and doing the tests and I’ve come through them.
“I’ve passed all the tests and I’m fine. We’ve followed all the HIA protocols and worked with world rugby.
"There’s been a bit made about it but I am fine, I’ve trained fully today and the physios have looked after me, kept a close eye on me and I came through ok so I’m ready for the weekend.”
Regarding the incident during the match, Murray said his main concern was his neck and he was fully aware when being assessed on and off the pitch.
He continued: “I was just talking to them (medics). I was fully conscious and talking to them about my neck. I hit my neck off Swinson’s elbow.
“It was a miss-timed tackle by me – I got my head on the wrong side and I was telling them that it was my neck that was at me and my head was fine and I was fully conscious.
“It was a big impact, I’m not trying to deviate from that. There was a suspected concussion so we went in and followed the HIA and passed that.
“They didn’t suspect that I had lost consciousness, which is the most important thing, and I came back on and finished the game and have felt fine since.
“My neck has been a little bit stiff, but head-wise I’m fine.”
Murray added that modern players are very aware and educated on the dangers of concussion, and it is not something he would take a risk with.
“I think all players in the professional era are very wary of concussion and how dangerous it can be,” he said.
“So if I felt there was something wrong with me leading into this game, of if I felt a little bit off... If I had a headache or I felt a little bit slowed or any of those symptoms, I’m fully sure I’d bring it up and I’d tell the physio and doctor and we’d deal with it and probably wouldn’t play this weekend because everyone’s aware of how dangerous concussion can be down the line.”
Munster have already sealed their place in the Champions Cup quarter-finals, but Murray said they are now “greedy” for a home tie in the quarters, which they would secure with victory - while a bonus point win would improve their chances of a top-two seeding for the semi-finals.
“Qualifying is great,” he continued. “We haven’t done it for a while and to have a quarter-final to look forward to is brilliant for this group of players and management.
“We’re on a new adventure now and we’re getting greedy and want a home quarter-final and it’s going to be a massive day on Saturday.
“Sold out Thomond Park with a 5.30pm kick-off and it’s going to be a massive atmosphere with a massive prize at the end of it if we manage to get a win.”
Listen to live coverage of Castres v Leinster this Friday on 2fm’s extended Game On (KO 7.45pm) and Toulouse v Connacht in the Champions Cup on RTÉ Radio’s Sunday Sport (KO 3.15pm)
