Ireland captain Rory Best backs Conor Murray to show Lions credentials in Six Nations

Scotland have made no secret of their bid to put the squeeze on Murray in the Six Nations opener, a tactic Glasgow employed in Champions Cup action against Munster.

Murray criticised what he felt were cheap shots as Munster edged out Glasgow 14-12 on January 14, claiming the Warriors players targeted his standing leg every time he lined up clearance kicks.

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Rory Best has backed Conor Murray to show his Lions credentials in Six Nations

Opposite number Greig Laidlaw has vowed Scotland will follow Glasgow's lead in singling out Murray but Best, the bookmakers' favourite to lead the Lions this summer, insists that will only serve to inspire the man who is set to have first claim on the No 9 jersey in New Zealand.

"Conor wants to make sure that the pressure that will be on tomorrow, that he rises to it, and that it spurs him on. He just wants to perform on the day and rise to the occasion," said Best.

"The pressure on the nine, the pressure on the box-kick, it's something that a quality player like Conor expects. He expects them to pressure him around that area.

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"For us it's about making sure that we cope with that pressure and we perform and for him in particular that he's able to perform his role. We all know how good a player he is, if you're playing with him for Ireland or against him when he plays for Munster.

"He's a quality player, he's shown that and backed it up time and time again and what we're asking from him is another one of those performances that he's delivered regularly this season."

Ireland have won five of the last six meetings between the two nations.

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