The IRISH RUGBY thread

[AZOffaly]

I couldn't believe it when I saw it yesterday, and I still find it hard to believe. People slag Munster about the 'liginds', but when we use the term, it is people like Anthony Foley we are referring to. The esteem he is held in down here is massive, and even when things were obviously not working out for him as coach, it was sadness and regret rather than anger and vitriol towards the man, because everyone loved him for what he did for Munster, and everyone recognised he was continuing to do the best he could for them.

I was up in Offaly yesterday, and driving down to Tipp yesterday evening, there were tears in my eyes when the lads on Newstalk played the clip of the Munster team singing Stand Up and Fight in the dressing room after one of their victories. It is obviously a sad, sad day for Munster, and for those of us who go to Thomond Park and are used to seeing him in the jersey or in the tracksuit, but the real tragedy is for a wife and young sons, a Mother and Father, Sisters, who were looking forward to seeing Munster play in France yesterday, and are now instead trying to deal with the logistics of bringing him home to bury him, and trying to deal with the reality that he's not coming through the door after another day in UL. Unbelievable, and my heart goes out to them.

[seafoid]

I couldn't believe it when I saw it yesterday, and I still find it hard to believe. People slag Munster about the 'liginds', but when we use the term, it is people like Anthony Foley we are referring to. The esteem he is held in down here is massive, and even when things were obviously not working out for him as coach, it was sadness and regret rather than anger and vitriol towards the man, because everyone loved him for what he did for Munster, and everyone recognised he was continuing to do the best he could for them.

I was up in Offaly yesterday, and driving down to Tipp yesterday evening, there were tears in my eyes when the lads on Newstalk played the clip of the Munster team singing Stand Up and Fight in the dressing room after one of their victories. It is obviously a sad, sad day for Munster, and for those of us who go to Thomond Park and are used to seeing him in the jersey or in the tracksuit, but the real tragedy is for a wife and young sons, a Mother and Father, Sisters, who were looking forward to seeing Munster play in France yesterday, and are now instead trying to deal with the logistics of bringing him home to bury him, and trying to deal with the reality that he's not coming through the door after another day in UL. Unbelievable, and my heart goes out to them.

Liam Toland: It was Anthony's intelligence that stood out most
He was a modest man who always let his achievements fly well below the radar
about 5 hours ago Updated: about 2 hours ago
Liam Toland
0
Video
Images





Play Video
Munster fans gathered outside the, Stade Yves-du-Manoir, to pay respects to Munster Rugby coach Anthony Foley, after news of his sudden death in France. Video: Racing 92
 
AddThis Sharing Buttons
Share to Facebook

Share to Twitter

Share to Email App


 
The first time I played against Anthony 'Axel' Foley was in 1989. I was at number eight for St Clement's and Anthony was at number eight for St Munchin's. It was the mucky back pitch in the famous Munchin's where – I can't remember – we probably lost, but who cares.
In the horrible moments yesterday in Paris between being shocked and being stunned as the news was confirmed of Anthony's passing, that first game 27 years ago came flooding back to my memory. Even then, as a teenager, I was aware of who Anthony was. That it was a Foley of the famous Foleys of Killaloe, Shannon, Munster and Ireland I was marking, I was very much aware.
His father, the legendary All Blacks slayer Brendan; his mother Sheila, the warm bubbly and extremely generous and classy, classy lady; and then his sisters Rosie and Orla – all legends. Rosie, like the others, played for Ireland but, unsatisfied, went on to swim the English Channel. More have climbed Mount Everest than have swam the channel. What is it about this wonderful family that nothing appears impossible?
Anthony, like his family, was an achiever who had something far greater to give his community than his multiple caps, medals and trophies. Anthony was uniquely modest regarding these achievements, choosing for them to all flow well below the radar.
He'd never burden you with the three tries he scored against Biarritz in Thomond Park or that he could spin passes off both hands or drop kick off either foot as well as any international back.
He wouldn't talk about the time he welcomed England's Tim Rodber to Lansdowne Road when he won his first cap having just passed 21 years. Neither would he unload that it was he who hoisted the holy grail of the Heineken Cup over his head way back in 2006; it would never come up.

I recently played him in a round of golf in Shannon Golf Club (yes, Shannon) and that he beat me handsomely always energised him more; never the big stories.
Johannesburg
Our paths crossed and recrossed over the years; Munster Schools, Munster 20s, Munster Seniors, Irish 21s, Irish Students, Ireland A, Irish squads, which took us all over Europe and as far as Johannesburg and most recently as a Classic Lion to Australia in the recent Lions tour.
In Australia, as in South Africa and many other rugby locations, I roomed with him. I think of us stealing the double- bar electric heater from the university in Johannesburg as Irish students to keep us warm under the bulls wool blankets, or breaking into Mick Galwey's room in London after an 'A' game. And I think of a friendship that has endured for 27 years and I realise how little time we actually spent together over those passing years.
Months, even years, could fly by between meeting and yet we'd pick up every time as if we'd lived next door. It could've been months but like we did in Shannon Golf Club we'd firstly hug like young ones and then we'd get stuck in.
I've had cause over the years to ring him requesting this and that and without fuss he'd always oblige to the extent many who'd meet him in my company would remark how normal he was. What were you expecting?
With all he's achieved – husband to Olive, father to his two boys and legend within the game making him a national icon – sitting in Café du Stade as I was yesterday across from Stade Yves-du-Manoir I wondered what typified Anthony. Intelligence comes in many guises and Anthony was blessed to be bestowed with many of them.
But his ability to render what most of us complicate into the simplest, clearest, concise form of brilliance was his greatest gift, his greatest intelligence. A gift that was often underestimated by those too 'quick' to miss his subtle but brilliant message.
In the modern age of academies built on the back of personal-best bench presses etc, I'm not sure they've invented a measure or scale for intelligence, rugby intelligence. Anthony got his first cap over 25 years ago and after RWC 1995 he drifted out of favour for a while, recamping in Shannon and Munster, but a measure of the man was that in the end he amassed 62 Ireland caps and won the holy grail when other 'athletes' fell by the wayside.
Of course, my time in Leinster brought new meaning to our friendship. They had David Wallace, Alan Quinlan and Axel. We had Trevor Brennan, Victor Costello and me. Wally the freak, Quinny the athlete and Axel the what? Analysing Munster, I'd often focus on Wally for obvious reasons but Axel was a different matter. I never knew whether to hug him, kiss him or punch him. In hindsight, he would've deserved all three.
Thousands of miles away
In 2006 I was in Montevideo in Uruguay coaching Lansdowne when thousands of miles away Axel lifted that European trophy that eluded so many Munster greats. I was as proud and as happy as I've ever been when it was he who lifted it. For he, Anthony 'Axel' Foley, was everything you'd want your son, your brother, your father to be.
He was a true friend and one that not just I, but Killaloe, St Munchin's, Shannon, Munster, Ireland, the wonderful Foley family and his immediate family Olive and kids will miss terribly. I will miss him terribly. I'm so, so sad, and I know you are too.

[Main Street]

Very sad news, i don't know the man one bit but i loved that Munster team that he was such an integral part of.
Where did the Axel name come from?

[AZOffaly]

Axel Foley, Beverly Hills Cop

[muppet]

Axel Foley, Beverly Hills Cop

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkthuYgK_ks

[rrhf]

Terrible for his family, friends and colleagues in Rugby.  Sad days for Munster.  RIP.

[seafoid]

Some of the tributes were beautiful. The respect from England  . The modesty. The attitude in defeat. It reminded me of Eamonn O' Shea. Uaisleacht.

[5 Sams]

I know that a lot of lads on here wouldnt have much time for him...but I thought Billy did well today.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/munster-rugby/billy-keane-honest-fearless-loyal-and-funny-for-foley-it-was-never-about-me-always-about-us-35135768.html

[muppet]

http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2016/1018/825118-anthony-foley-funeral-arrangements/

Anthony Foley died of acute pulmonary oedema

Munster and Ireland rugby legend Anthony Foley died of an "acute pulmonary oedema", an autopsy has revealed.

According to the autopsy, the 42-year-old Foley "had a heart rhythm disorder that caused an acute pulmonary oedema", the Nanterre public prosecutor west of Paris told AFP.

Pulmonary oedema is a build-up of fluid in the lungs that can lead to respiratory failure.

[moysider]

A virus could have triggered the heart rhythm disorder. I suspect Cormac McAnallen had something similar.
I had a heart rhythm disorder nearly 20 years ago. My episode affected the auricle chambers but if it had been the ventricles affected I would have been toast I was told at the time. That is what I was told anyway and they never figured out what caused it, though they were muttering about a virus that I may have picked up. I had been in Africa and I was quarantined for a couple of days and then let home when it settled down. Ran tests for 6 months and given all clear. A friend of mine died on a treadmill in a gym. He had an issue with an irregular heart beat but choose not to get a pacemaker. Very fit man with county medals and regular runner. There is no easy explanation for these things.

[Asal Mor]

Not generally a big fan of rugby or Sky, but their coverage from Thomond Park today has been powerful.

[SHEEDY]

Not generally a big fan of rugby or Sky, but their coverage from Thomond Park today has been powerful.

very powerful and very emotional. Makes you proud to be Irish when you see the scenes from thomond park.

[Applesisapples]

Not generally a big fan of rugby or Sky, but their coverage from Thomond Park today has been powerful.

very powerful and very emotional. Makes you proud to be Irish when you see the scenes from thomond park.

Fair play to Sky pitched exactly right.

[screenexile]

How long until Piatau qualified for Ireland??

[5 Sams]

Not generally a big fan of rugby or Sky, but their coverage from Thomond Park today has been powerful.

+1

Gaillimh was in bits.