Euan Murray prepares for Scotland internationals
As the winter here in Northampton begins to bite Euan Murray has jetted off to the warmer climes of Spain, but catching a few rays and enjoying the weather will be the last things on his mind.
The prop is one of three Saints players currently at a warm-weather training camp in Spain as Scotland gear up for their Autumn internationals, which start with perhaps the toughest test of all, against New Zealand at Murrayfield on November 8.
It is a game Murray is really looking forward to, especially as a win would see him and his Scotland team-mates on the day go down in the record books.
"We want to beat New Zealand, because Scotland have never beaten New Zealand," said Murray.
"They are the only team that have eluded us, so we have to make history."
And Murray, who is joined in the Scotland squad by Sean Lamont and the recalled Scott Gray, believes the All Blacks can be beaten.
"You have to analyse each team," said
Murray.
"We will look at them in extreme detail. It is just 15 guys, I don't need to convince myself about winning.
"Whoever I'm playing for, whether it be the Wanderers, Saints or Scotland I give my all.
"The bible says 'whatever your hand finds to do, do with all your might' so I try and play with all my might whenever I play."
Scotland go into the game on the back of a drawn series in Argentina last summer, Frank Haddon's men responding brilliantly to their narrow 21-15 defeat in the first Test to win the second 26-14.
And Murray said: "We did really well in Argentina, we hadn't won in the southern hemisphere for several decades.
"In the first Test we were a wee bit tentative and then our confidence rose, but it was too little too late. In the second Test we let them have it, we were more confident.
"I hope we can take that into the New Zealand game, it's all or nothing."
After taking on the All Blacks, Scotland play South Africa on November 15 and then Canada on November 22.
It meas Murray, Gray and Lamont are away from Franklin's Gardens for the best part of a month, but Murray says international breaks do benefit the clubs as well.
"If players go away to an international camp, it is good for the club who send them out," insists Murray.
"Because the player comes back having played at a higher level and you can bring some of that stuff back.
"He might have picked stuff up from the games and he might brign that back into the team."
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Weather for Northampton
Tuesday 07 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -8 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: -5 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: North east
