This was published 7 years ago
Australians Michael Cheika, Alan Gaffney, Stephen Moore pay tribute to Munster legend Anthony Foley
By Georgina Robinson
Wallabies coach Michael Cheika and former Munster coach Alan Gaffney have led the antipodean tributes to Anthony Foley, who died in Paris at the weekend.
The Munster legend and 62-Test Ireland international was found by one of his support staff on Sunday morning as the team prepared to play Racing 92 in the European Rugby Champions Cup.
Foley was just 42. His death has plunged Irish rugby into mourning and left reeling his many friends and former teammates around the globe.
Gaffney, who coached Foley at the Irish province in the early noughties and last shared a pint with him in Limerick during last year's World Cup, said the No.8's influence on Munster was immense.
Munster Rugby head coach Anthony Foley dies in Paris, aged 42. Credit: David Rogers
"You didn't need to have played against Munster to know that Anthony Foley was actually Munster," Gaffney said.
"That's what 'Axel' was, he was Munster. A traditional Munster man, who had a father who played for Munster and for Ireland, he had a sister who played for Ireland. He was Munster through and through, he would never have changed no matter what he was offered to go anywhere in the world, Axel was Munster."
Foley played 202 games for Munster and captained the province to their first European Cup title in 2006. He took over the leadership role during Gaffney's final season with the side, and was a giant of the team despite a glut of Test-capped back row forwards at the time, including Australian Jim Williams.
"When I was down there we had five international back rowers all playing for Munster, but no matter how good Alan Quinlan, Dennis Leamy, David Wallace, Jimmy [Williams] and 'Axel', Foley was always virtually first pick," Gaffney said.
"He was just such a good footy player and probably one of the best footy brains that I've been involved with in my life.
"Irrespective of that, the most endearing thing about him to me was that he was a super person, a good person. I very much feel for [wife] Olive."
Wallabies coach Michael Cheika knew Foley from his time coaching rival province Leinster in Ireland between 2005 and 2010. The teams were fierce rivals but Cheika spoke of the respect Foley garnered from supporters and rivals alike.
"When you compete against someone and you earn respect for them from competition, it shows there's a special person behind that," he said.
"It's really tragic, our thoughts are with the Munster family and all of Irish rugby ... As a colleague as well, as a head coach for a team, it's really sad."
Wallabies captain Stephen Moore, who maintains a close connection to Ireland through his family background, also paid tribute to the Munster coach.
"It's a big shock ... He's leaving behind a young family but also a tremendous legacy for what he did for rugby in Ireland and for Munster," Moore said. "He'll be remembered fondly for that."
Foley is survived by wife Olive and sons Dan and Tony.