Conor Murray insists he did not lose consciousness during Munster's Champions Cup pool win over Glasgow Warriors last weekend, explaining that he had just suffered a neck injury.
Rassie Erasmus's side were late winners in Scotstoun to keep them top of Pool 1 and the Ireland scrum-half said that despite concerns he had suffered a concussion, he was fit to continue.
"Basically I just mistimed my tackle and got my head on the wrong side of a tackle with their big second row Tim Swinson and banged my neck," he said at Munster's press conference on Wednesday afternoon.
"It was a big impact, I'm not trying to hide that. His elbow hit off my neck and I was a bit shook by it. Not in my head, but it was a big impact on my neck and my shoulder. I lay there for a second or two but I remember talking to Andrew Conway who was right beside me. He asked me if I was alright and I said it was just my neck.
"Our physios and doctors came on and I told them it was my neck. They checked me and if they had suspected that I had lost consciousness, I have no doubt they would have taken me off."
Conor Murray speaking to the press on Wednesday afternoon. Image: ©INPHO/Tommy Dickson
Munster faced scrutiny over their handling of the situation, after replays appeared to show that Murray had gone unconscious for a moment. However, after being withdrawn from the field of play, Murray was reintroduced and finished the game.
"That's the attitude toward concussion at the moment, it's a very serious thing. We have to look after players first and foremost.
"I think there was a video and they suspected that I may have lost consciousness. So I went off. I didn't lose consciousness.
"But when it something like that, you do what they say. I did my HIA [Head Injury Assessment]. Passed it fully. They didn't suspect me of concussion so I went back on to finish the game.
"We followed the protocols. We did another HIA after the game, passed that. I came in on Monday morning, I did my HIA with my impact test again. I saw a neurologist in Cork and he didn't suspect anything.
"We feel like we've gone above and beyond. As a player if I feel like I have a concussion, I will not play at the weekend. It's too dangerous."
He added: "I feel we're quite well educated on concussion. The way we approach it and the way the higher powers are improving ways to deal with it is brilliant. If I felt off in any way I wouldn't play. We all knwo how dangerous concussions can be."
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