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Conor Murray believes Ireland are now far better at \u201cflipping the page\u201d following a big win as they bid to back up beating South Africa by securing a quarter-final spot when they face Scotland.<\/p>\n
Experienced scrum-half Murray is playing at the fourth Rugby World Cup of his career and has been involved in some major Test victories across 110 caps.<\/p>\n
Ireland\u2019s displays have often dipped in the aftermath of previous momentous results but the 34-year-old Munster man does not expect that to be an issue moving towards Saturday\u2019s crunch Paris clash with the Scots.<\/p>\n
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\u201cA good few years ago we\u2019d get a good one-off win and then the next week we\u2019d drop off performance-wise,\u201d said Murray.<\/p>\n
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\u201cI think we\u2019ve started properly addressing it about being consistent and nowadays this team is really good at flipping the page and focusing on what\u2019s next.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople are talking about what\u2019s down the line and knockout rugby and all that but genuinely within our four walls we\u2019re talking about Scotland and that\u2019s the next biggest challenge for us.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a plan of where we want to go but it\u2019s about doing the right thing now.<\/p>\n
We\u2019re certainly not overlooking them. That might be the story outside but I can assure you it\u2019s completely different here.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s been one of our strengths over the last few seasons. It used to be an issue but we\u2019re a better side nowadays on top of that and mentally we\u2019re better equipped to go back to back in games.\u201d<\/p>\n
Andy Farrell\u2019s men have won 16 matches in a row stretching back to defeat in the first Test of last summer\u2019s series success in New Zealand.<\/p>\n
Ireland have also dominated fixtures against Scotland across the past decade, winning 12 of 13 meetings.<\/p>\n
Murray, who worked with Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend on the 2021 British and Irish Lions tour, insists his side will be not be underestimating their weekend opponents as they seek to avoid an early tournament exit.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat record, I don\u2019t think it counts for much, the same with our record, having been on a good run of form coming into the World Cup,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll those games, especially in the last few years, they\u2019ve been very tight fixtures.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome of the scoreboards might read a little bit differently but genuinely Scotland are a top side and pose a lot of threats across the board.<\/p>\n
\u201cHaving worked with Gregor a couple of years ago, their attacking game will cause a lot of stress and it\u2019ll make sure we prepare really well, as good if not better as we did for South Africa.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s about turning the page now and realising we\u2019re up against a top international side that have an awful lot to play for.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ireland will progress to the last eight with a win or draw, while a defeat could still be sufficient depending on bonus points gained and\/or overall points difference.<\/p>\n
\u201cI expect them to really test us in every department,\u201d continued Murray.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s not just something we\u2019re saying in the media. We\u2019ve had huge battles with Scotland over the years, especially recently.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re certainly not overlooking them. That might be the story outside but I can assure you it\u2019s completely different here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Murray became a Test centurion against South Africa last November.<\/p>\n
His Munster team-mate Peter O\u2019Mahony is on course to become the 10th Irishman to join that club this weekend.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe\u2019ve shared the club journey and the international journey pretty much side by side,\u201d said Murray.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019ll be great to get to that milestone and it\u2019s a huge day for himself and his family. Hopefully it all goes to plan, because it\u2019s a very special club.\u201d<\/p>\n