Monday 17 October 2016 06:23, UK
Munster Rugby chief executive officer Garrett Fitzgerald says Anthony Foley's legacy will last for generations to come in the province.
Fitzgerald joined others in calling Foley a "true rugby great" after news emerged on Sunday that the Munster coach had died at the age of 42 while in Paris preparing his team to take on Racing 92 in the European Champions Cup.
Foley, who was known as Axel after the character in the Beverley Hills Cop movie series, had been in charge of the team since 2014, having played more than 200 times for the province as well as earning 62 Ireland caps.
A statement from Fitzgerald read: "Anthony was the embodiment of Munster Rugby and dedicated his life to the game he loved. From St Munchin's to Shannon, Munster and then Ireland, Anthony was a true rugby great.
"Widely known for his extensive knowledge of the game and rugby brain, Axel brought so much to the province as a player and then a coach.
"A very popular figure off the field, he was an incredibly likeable character with a great sense of humour and he lived life to the full.
"Always maintaining his strong family connections to his native Killaloe in Clare, Axel was hugely proud of his community and where he came from.
"My earliest memory of Axel is when he was playing No 8 for St Munchin's in his teens and the hunger and passion he showed even then was evident to all.
"Never a man to back down from a challenge, Anthony's determination on the field was mirrored by his actions off it, always honest in everything he did. His legacy will live on in the next generation and beyond.
"Anthony will be sorely missed and the thoughts from everyone in the game are with his family at this time."
Donal Lenihan, like Foley, played his entire career for Munster and Ireland and also recalled fond memories of him, as well as his father Brendan.
Lenihan was in Paris to cover the game for Irish television, and he told Sky Sports: "Not only was Anthony one of Munster's most famous sons, but also at the Shannon club where his father Brendan and him were such a big part of.
"I got my first cap for Munster and Ireland with his father so I remember Anthony from those early days when he was running around the dressing rooms at Thomond Park.
"Shannon and Cork Con, my club, had a great rivalry and Anthony - even as a young fellow - was always a presence. He was destined to be a rugby player.
"I can think of him playing for Ireland and as a little figure in the corner waving an Irish flag. You obviously take an interest in someone when you know them from such a young age, to see them progress through the ranks with Munster and get capped for Ireland.
"It was almost in perfect symmetry with his dad, who was in the Munster team that beat the All Blacks in 1978, that he was the one to lift the Heineken Cup for the first time in 2006. That incredible day in the Millennium Stadium was very fitting."
