Munster head coach Anthony Foley, who held a unique place in the tradition and affections of the Irish province, died overnight at the team's hotel in Paris, plunging Irish rugby into shock and prompting a string of tributes.
Anthony Foley (c) coaching his Munster side. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Foley, who was described as "the heart and soul" of Munster rugby, was 42 years old and no details about the cause of death have been made public.
"It is with deep regret that the Irish Rugby Football Union and Munster Rugby must advise of the passing overnight of Munster Rugby head coach Anthony Foley, at the team hotel in Paris," read a statement on the Irish Rugby federation website.
Foley's death prompted the postponement of Munster's game against Racing 92 in the European Rugby Champions Cup in Paris while Irish president Michael D. Higgins led the tributes to the former Ireland international.
"Anthony Foley excelled from a young age and made a huge contribution to the successes of Munster and Ireland, in both his playing and coaching careers," Higgins said in a statement.
"As President of Ireland, and as Patron of the IRFU, I offer them and Munster rugby my deepest sympathies," he added.
Fans of the province who had travelled over for the game in Paris gathered outside the Stade Yves-du-Manoir and gave a mournful, muted rendition of "The Fields of Athenry", a folk song regularly sung by Irish fans at sporting events.
Foley, a powerful back-row forward, will be best remembered for captaining Munster to their first Heineken Cup final win in 2006, a victory that ended their quest for success in Europe.
No one knew better than Foley, whose father Brendan was part of the Munster team that famously defeated the All Blacks in 1978, how much that meant to the province, who had lost their two previous finals.
"He epitomises what Munster rugby is all about. It's absolutely shocking. There's nothing but shock in the air," former Ireland international Donal Lenihan told state broadcaster RTE.
Capped 62 times for Ireland, Foley played in 202 games for Munster and was also a skilled player in the Irish sports of Gaelic football and hurling.
-Reuters
