'Do we listen to what Joe says? No, we go f***ing apes***!

EXCLUSIVE EXTRACT FROM CONOR MURRAY'S NEW BOOK ON A FAMOUS DAY IN CHICAGO

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IN terms of standards it's a rising tide and our ambitions are rising with it.

Four and a half months later we prove it in Soldier Field, Chicago, with that famous first-ever win by an Ireland senior men's team against New Zealand.

It has only taken 29 matches over the course of 111 years but finally Irish rugby has broken its duck against the All Blacks.

I think I had the game of my life that day. I don't know why it was this day of all days but I do know I felt absolutely brilliant in myself going into it.

I was totally buzzing for it that morning. The weather definitely helped my mood. It was November but the sun was shining in Chicago.

It was America, the land of opportunity, and just being in America I think elevated my optimism. It was the home venue of the Chicago Bears.

I could feel the razzmatazz that you get with big-time American sport.

In my head I was thinking, this is showtime, this is major league, this is the NFL and I'm loving it. Myself and Zeebs went for a walkabout on the pitch before the warm-up.

I don't usually go for the walkabout but I decided this day to sample the atmosphere and already there were thousands of Irish flags and jerseys in the stands.

There would be a crowd of over 63,000 there come kickoff. And I remember saying to Zeebs, 'This is so cool, this is where you want to be'.

My whole bloodstream was popping with feelgood vibes.

It would maybe take a sports psychologist to unravel all this but all I can say is that I just felt on top of the world before that game.