Murray: Jamo’s Grown Into One Of The Best Players Around

A good part of the build-up to Saturday’s rematch has centred on the invididual duel between Gibson-Park and French star Antoine Dupont, arguably the two best scrum halves in world rugby at present.

With Ireland aiming for a third successive Guinness Men’s Six Nations title, Gibson-Park was their player-of-the-match in two of the first three rounds, scoring a try against England, having three try involvements, orchestrating general play, and making some key defensive plays.

Dupont comes to Dublin on the back of France’s 73-24 victory away to Italy, during which be became the first player to supply three try assists in a single match on more than one occasion in the Championship.

The Aviva Stadium has been a tough place to get a result for the 28-year-old, with losses there with France in 2019 and 2023, and with Toulouse against Leinster in 2019, 2022, and 2023.

Dupont was victorious at Irish Rugby HQ with France when they won the 2021 Six Nations clash behind closed doors, and also helped Toulouse to a gruelling 2022 Investec Champions Cup penalty shootout defeat of Munster.

Murray has had his own battles with both Gibson-Park and Dupont over the years, whether for the Ireland starting jersey or in opposition with Munster, and reckons the crowd will get the opportunity to see two half-backs at the peak of their powers.

“Jamo and Dupont are flying it there at the minute,” he said. “It will be a shootout between the two of them, and that will probably be the focus in the media.

“I’m sure Jamison isn’t thinking about that. He’s fully focused on what we are trying to do. For the spectators you get to see two top class 9s.”

This weekend’s match will be Murray’s final home one for Ireland, as he has decided to call time on his much-decorated career in the green jersey. He will pursue a playing opportunity abroad following the conclusion of his Munster Rugby contract in July.

In an ideal world for him personally, the Limerick man would be starting against France on Saturday afternoon, but it has been difficult to dislodge Gibson-Park, a player he has enjoyed working closely with for the last five seasons.

Gibson-Park said during the last Rugby World Cup that he ‘absolutely loves the competition’ and that ‘it drives us both on’. The feeling is clearly mutual from Murray.

“Our relationship is class, Jamo’s a gent on and off the pitch. It’s been a pleasure working with him, learning so much from him the way he sees the game,” said Ireland’s most-capped scrum half of all-time with 123 caps.

“He’s one of those lads who leads the team really well. He’s grown over the last three or four years into one of the best players around at the minute.

“Unbelievably humble, the chats we have as 9s together, he’s really open in terms of sharing his thoughts. I get on really well with him.

“I have massive respect for him, moving over here with his family and making this place his home. I know his family are incredibly proud of what he’s doing at the minute.

Jamo’s a huge influence in this squad. At times you want to play more game-time, but I’ve been on that side of the fence too where I’ve felt I’m playing well and I end up playing 70-odd minutes.

“I have an appreciation just to be involved with this squad and contribute, it’s something I’m ready to do whether it’s a few minutes or it’s longer. Just being ready.

“He’s playing so well that when you come in you need to be on your game too. It’s been class sharing a dressing room with him.”

Andy Farrell’s men will lose three Test centurions, with 371 Ireland caps between them, when Murray, Peter O’Mahony, and Cian Healy bow out at the end of this Six Nations tournament.

Healy, Ireland’s record caps holder (136), first played for his country in 2009, two years before Murray, with O’Mahony’s maiden cap coming during the 2012 Championship. They have been key team members under three national coaches, as well as current interim head coach Simon Easterby.

All three are highly regarded by their team-mates and across the Home Unions with O’Mahony having captained the British & Irish Lions in 2017, Murray being a three-time Lions tourist, and Healy the most-capped player in Champions Cup/Heineken Cup history (114).

Ireland’s longest-serving current back-line player does not believe the his departure, along with the retirements of O’Mahony and Healy, will lead to a leadership vacuum for the national side.

“You’d be surprised when you go into our dressing room where the leaders are. Obviously with a lot of caps there’s leadership, but there’s so many leaders there with 20, 30 caps, that are driving this team,” insisted Murray.

“There’s obviously going to be a vacuum of some sorts, but the group that are driving this team now they’re young lads and the older lads, the more experienced lads. But it’s coming from the lads that are fairly new to the environment too.

“That’s why when I speak about ‘Faz’ and the lads putting pressure on players to see the game and drive the way we play, it works across the board – whether you’re just in the door or you’re here a long time.

“Looking on now next season I’ll be jealous because I know they’re going to keep on driving the standards and being successful. There’s plenty of lads in there that are going to be leading this team for a long time.”

Of the current group, James Ryan, Iain Henderson, Tadhg Furlong, Caelan Doris, and Dan Sheehan have all gained experience as captain for as least one Test match in the last five years.

A number of players in the squad have also had the honour of captaining their provincial teams, including Cian Prendergast, a young leader for Connacht who just turned 25, and lineout caller Tadhg Beirne, who is also in his first season as Munster skipper.