After featuring for Northampton Saints a week earlier, Murray was instrumental in providing the platform from which Scotland were able to record a comfortable 26-6 victory over the Azzuri to keep their championship title hopes just about alive.
"I wasn't expecting to be fit as soon as I have been," said Murray, who moved to Franklin's Gardens after the 2007 World Cup.
"It (the injury) would wake me up in the night because my rib cartilage would pop out. Some things were painful to do. Sometimes I'd be sitting on the couch and it'd just pop out."
"I thought, 'I don't think I'm going to be fit for the Italy game, let alone the Wasps game'.
"To be involved in a Premiership game leading into a Six Nations game was a massive bonus for me.
"To get through unscathed was another bonus, and to manage 80 minutes I was very pleased with."
The 28-year-old had been much-talked about as a Lions contender prior to the start of the Six Nations and Saturday's performance has possibly even enhanced his Lions credentials.
Prior to the win over the Italians, Murray had made it clear that the team's performance would take priority over his own growing individual accolades, with the former Glasgow star focusing on doing what was necessary to earn coach Frank Hadden his first points of the campaign.
"It's eight guys (the forward pack) working together and if any individuals think they're better than they are then pride comes before a fall," said Murray, who did his reputation no harm at all during the November internationals.
"We've got to work hard together, work for each other and try to put things right."
Scotland, and Murray in particular, did just that as they never looked in danger of falling to a third defeat in their last three Six Nations outings against the Italians.
The manner of the win may not have received widespread approval but David Hands of the Times was in no doubt that the nature of Murray's own performance was a huge boost for the Lions.
"The good news from Edinburgh was that Euan Murray began his comeback after a rib injury," wrote Hands.
"Northampton's tight-head prop had such a good autumn that he seemed set fair for a Lions shirt; he needs more game time, but the scrummage will be crucial and if Murray can do for the Lions what Tom Smith did for them in 1997, he will be invaluable."
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