As Conor Murray begins to become accustomed to British & Irish Lions captaincy duties, the Munster and Ireland scrum-half says leaders he has played under for province or country like Paul O'Connell, Rory Best and Peter O'Mahony are among those he can seek valuable counsel from.
The 32-year-old was announced as Lions captain for the tour to South Africa on Saturday after incumbent Alun Wyn Jones was ruled out due to an injury sustained in the test win over Japan.
"Straight off the top of my head, Rory Best and Paul O'Connell would be two of the biggest captains I've played under, a good friend in my club Peter O'Mahony who has experience in this area too," said Murray on his sources of inspiration.
"So there's guys that if things crop up or you're thinking of what to say or what not to say, it's guys like that thankfully you can pick up the phone to them and run things by them. But saying that, you're chosen (as captain) because of what you do already."
He added that he had also briefly spoken to original tour captain Jones in the wake of the Wales international's injury.
"On Sunday morning, I caught up with him for a couple of minutes and he said, 'Just be yourself. You've been doing it all along over the past two tours. Just continue that,'" said Murray.
"He gave me a pat on the shoulder and said he's full of faith in me and again another guy who said he's at the end of the phone if anything crops up and his words are really important to me."
Conor Murray says that while he has learned a lot from Rory Best, Paul O'Connell and Peter O'Mahony, he will have his own style as #LionsRugby tour captain pic.twitter.com/KhHqpHzegs
— RTÉ Rugby (@RTErugby) June 29, 2021
Murray also insisted that the Lions squad are fully behind the tour to South Africa despite the hosts nation's escalating coronavirus crisis.
A surge in Covid-19 cases in the Gauteng region that includes Johannesburg and Pretoria has forced South Africa into a level four lockdown, bringing with it travel restrictions, an alcohol ban and an overnight curfew.
The entire Springboks squad was forced into isolation on Sunday after three players tested positive, although they have since been given the all-clear to begin training for Friday's warm-up Test against Georgia.
A revised schedule is under discussion and questions are now being asked over the viability of the tour, but Murray insists there has been no debate within the squad over whether it is right for the Lions to be in South Africa.
"No there hasn’t, not yet," said Murray.
"Obviously we are very aware of what’s going on outside with the lockdown and things like that, and there are the protocols. But we’re here to put a smile on people’s faces, here and back at home.
"Since we’ve been here, when the bus stops at traffic lights there are people beeping at us and smiling at us. There’s a good buzz around us being here.
"We’re very aware of the situation outside of the hotel. We literally go from the hotel to the training ground.
"But we’re very much restricted on our movements at the moment as well. It’s a live document, things can change so quickly.
"We’re here, we’re very lucky to be doing what we’re doing and very focused on putting on a show for people to get behind us and support us."
