Conor Murray’s career has been, more or less, on a steady incline since breaking into the Munster team on their Magners League title-winning run-in in 2011. Through two Lions tours and two World Cups, securing his status as Ireland’s best scrumhalf and the best in the world over a period of time, it’s been onwards and upwards. No hiccups.

Missing out on the first three months of the season with a neck injury was the first major one of his career and, it transpires, literally so.