Conor Murray says he hasn't made a decision on his future as he heads into the final months of his current deal with Munster.
The scrum-half signed a one-year extension with the province last year and has remained a regular when fit for province and country, which is expected to continue into the 2025 Guinness Six Nations due to the injury absence of Craig Casey.
Murray turns 36 in April, and while he honestly admitted he’s now in the twilight of his career, he hasn’t given deep consideration to whether or not he’ll be playing next season.
"I don't know, to be honest with you," he told RTÉ Sport when asked if he would continue at the province next season.
"I'm not cutting you off, I'm just not really thinking about that just now. I suppose my immediate focus and the boring answer is I’m focusing on what's in front of me now with Munster.
"I was out for December and I was really keen to get back fit and I managed to do that and get back on the pitch last weekend, and I really enjoyed the week, I enjoyed the game obviously, I got to play 80 [minutes] which I hadn't done in a while and really loved that.
"In terms of the contract, it's not that I'm not talking about it, I just haven't given it thought just yet and I don't really have anything to say to you.
"I just want to enjoy rugby, I know the end is soon, I don't know when that will be but I just want to make sure I stay fit and enjoy it while I can."
If he does choose to keep playing, World Rugby could be part of the reason. His captain Tadhg Beirne joked on Saturday that the new law trial aimed at protecting scrum-halves might put another five years on Murray’s career.
And the Limerick man (above) says he has already started doing his homework on how to exploit it.
"It’s interesting. Every team is going to be looking at it and trying to find ways to be an advantage.
"The ruck, defending off scrums, we’ve been brainstorming about ways we can make that work in our favour.
"Personally, it’s nice because sometimes you go to rip a pass and an arm comes over the ruck and you look quite silly, so thank God that’s taken out of the game for now."
The scrum-half made his return from an elbow injury in last week’s Investec Champions Cup win against Saracens, his first game since Ireland’s win against Fiji in November.
Off the pitch, life has been busy for the 121-cap Ireland international. In October, he became a father for the first time when he and his wife, Joanna, welcomed their son Alfie into the world.
Three months into parenthood, Murray says the experience has completely changed his outlook on rugby.
"It’s not a cliche, I fully experienced it once he arrived into the world.
"You get a completely different view on things and rightly so. He’s the most important thing now, and thankfully he’s healthy.
"Going home now after a day of training, usually you go home and chill out and think about what you’re having for dinner, but I’ll get a baby passed into my arms the minute I get in the door. You look forward to it, you love going home to him.
"He’s 12 weeks now and you’re getting the smiles and reactions now, so it’s class. It’s a completely different perspective now. It’s easy to come into training, I’m in a bit earlier than I usually am because I’m up a bit earlier, but it’s all good. It’s brilliant," he added.
On the pitch, Murray’s immediate focus is on the Northampton Saints this Saturday, with Munster knowing a win away to the Premiership champions would secure a home Round of 16 game in the Champions Cup.
Saturday’s game will be almost 12 months to the day since the Saints beat Munster at Thomond Park in their final pool game, while they would go on to knock the province out in the last 16 in April.
This will be a fifth meeting of the sides in just over two seasons, and Murray say that familiarity is creating a healthy rivalry.
"You look at Leinster and La Rochelle. I know they’re different teams but they had that similar thing. I know they had finals and all that, but we had Northampton quite regularly over the last few years."
However, he says Munster must proceed with caution against one of the best attacking sides in Europe.
"Knowing them provides one thing, it also makes you really aware of how they’re a top side, Premiership champions.
"Trying to figure out how to stop them, anyone that’s looked at their attacking game knows it’s a huge strength of theirs.
"It’s dangerous going in thinking you know them because they have so many dangerous variations and so many really good ball players like [Rory] Hutchinson and Fin Smith and Alex [Mitchell] at nine, people who can take the right option."
