late foley the spur in munster rcs european run
Sunday 20 July 2025
Last Updated : GMT 09:40:38
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

In European knockout rugby this season

Late Foley the spur in Munster RC's European run

Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicleLate Foley the spur in Munster RC's European run

Munster's full-back Simon Zebo (C) is tackled during their European Rugby Champions Cup pool 1
Dublin - ArabToday

As the broken-hearted Munster players mourned coach Anthony Foley following his sudden death in a Paris hotel room in October, it seemed inconceivable that an underperforming squad would be involved in European knockout rugby this season. 

The shock over Foley, 42, who previously played for the Irish province, seemed destined to become a tragic epitaph to what would be another campaign to forget for the former two-time European champions, whose glory days appeared to be behind them.

Instead, just a day after his funeral, Munster not only trounced Glasgow 38-14 at an emotionally charged Thomond Park despite playing for more than an hour down to 14 men, but used the win as a platform to embark on a drive to the quarter-finals of the European Champions Cup.

Former Ireland fly-half Tony Ward, who inspired Munster to a celebrated 12-0 triumph over New Zealand in 1978, attributes the turnaround in fortunes to the "galvanising effect" of the beloved Foley's passing.

"I was sitting beside the Munster players in the church that day of his funeral and wondering to myself, 'How in the hell are these guys going to play a match tomorrow?' but they not only did so but it has been a driving force," Ward told AFP.  

Former players, including Ward, have also noted the return of the "fear factor" at Thomond Park, Munster's home ground in the southern city of Limerick.

Crowd numbers had been dwindling for years but the ground was packed for the Glasgow game and has been sold-out since, with another capacity crowd expected for Saturday's quarter-final against French giants Toulouse.

Reflecting on the transformation, the Munster scrum coach and former Test hooker Jerry Flannery told Ireland's Newstalk Radio of his "embarrassment" at the province's poor form prior to Foley's death.

"I can't stress enough how proud I was after the Glasgow game, when the ex-players, the guys who I'd been almost ashamed to look in the eye from the previous season, when I saw how proud they were of the current players," he said.

- 'Galvanising effect' -

"Saying that, I believe it drove home the fact that there are a lot worse things than losing a rugby game and that has brought a sense of freedom to their play."

"If you look at the stats from last year they show we were very, very close but just couldn’t finish the job when we got into the (opposition) 22 and that ended up costing us games we should have won," he told AFP.

Ward believes Munster will win at home this weekend, but their ability to progress further could depend on whether reigning champions Saracens fulfil expectations to beat Glasgow on Sunday.

A clash against the London club would open up a favourable semi-final draw for Munster at Dublin's Lansdowne Road next month.

"Toulouse will be at one hell of a psychological disadvantage this weekend," said Ward. 

"The stadium will rock, there will be a sea of red (Munster's colour) and that bond between the team and the supporters is now stronger than ever since the death of Anthony Foley –- it had a galvanising effect that changed everything."

source: AFP

themuslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

late foley the spur in munster rcs european run late foley the spur in munster rcs european run

 



Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

GMT 22:10 2017 Friday ,31 March

April 20 - May 20

GMT 09:58 2017 Saturday ,19 August

All Black star Kaino returns home to deal

GMT 06:35 2015 Tuesday ,13 January

Ronaldo wins 2014 Ballon d'Or

GMT 13:37 2012 Monday ,20 February

Lamborghini Diablo

GMT 00:52 2013 Sunday ,22 December

PS4 Xbox 1 power consumption analysis points to Sony

GMT 09:44 2016 Monday ,26 September

Fuel tanker fire extinguished in Gulf of Mexico

GMT 10:43 2011 Wednesday ,23 November

2012 Acura TL SH-AWD

GMT 04:58 2014 Friday ,15 August

'Flashmob' robots swarm themselves into shape

GMT 04:29 2012 Sunday ,14 October

Classical poetry of the Shafi\'i

GMT 13:18 2016 Tuesday ,06 December

Teachers around the world share their stories

GMT 09:59 2017 Wednesday ,22 February

Hope for Dubai oil workers who are owed pay

GMT 14:10 2017 Friday ,03 February

Reasons of growth rate conflicting numbers

GMT 09:32 2017 Sunday ,29 October

Hiroshima survivor to accept Nobel Prize

GMT 23:09 2017 Wednesday ,15 February

Indian PSLV rocket lifts off with record 104 satellites

GMT 14:23 2016 Friday ,01 January

Japanese hurler Maeda reportedly headed to Dodgers

GMT 14:28 2016 Wednesday ,27 January

Sony moves PlayStation business to Silicon Valley

GMT 13:19 2017 Wednesday ,29 March

Belstaff appoints Karla Otto

GMT 13:44 2017 Friday ,24 March

Arab Spring: Where are the leaders now?
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
 
 Themuslimchronicle Facebook,themuslimchronicle facebook  Themuslimchronicle Twitter,themuslimchronicle twitter Themuslimchronicle Rss,themuslimchronicle rss  Themuslimchronicle Youtube,themuslimchronicle youtube  Themuslimchronicle Youtube,themuslimchronicle youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©

muslimchronicle muslimchronicle muslimchronicle muslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle themuslimchronicle themuslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle