“That is the magic of sport.”
Johnny Sexton received plenty of plaudits last week – all of them deserved – as he lined out for his 100th Test appearance for Ireland.
As he prepared for Ireland cap No.101, the Leinster outhalf was lauded by the sister of late Munster and Ireland legend Anthony Foley.
In the lead-up to Ireland vs. New Zealand, Orla Foley was speaking to us to help promote a charity song, called ‘Alone You Stand’, that will be played at half-time during the match.
Among the touching tributes and gestures to Foley, who passed away in October 2016 at the age of 42, Orla spoke of one from Johnny Sexton that the family hold dear. It arrived days after Sexton had kicked a last-gasp drop goal to beat France, on the way to what would be a 2018 Grand Slam.
Ireland were trailing France 13-12 in their 2018 Six Nations opener, but went through an incredible 41 phases before Sexton slotted a 43-metre drop goal to win it. Orla Foley comments:
“After the game, Johnny sent the No.10 jersey to my nephew – to Anthony’s son, Dan.
“They were playing that game for Anthony. It was the first time Ireland had played in Paris since Anthony had passed away. Johnny has spoken about it since, and about how they wanted to go out there and do it for him.
“Johnny is a very special man. To go out there and do that, then go and send the jersey to Dan, it meant so much.
“In rugby, you sometimes feel like you’re part of a big family. That was such a lovely thing for Johnny to do. That is the magic of sport.”
At half-time in Ireland’s Test encounter with the All Blacks, Barry Murphy’s song ‘Alone You Stand’ will be launched. It will play out to 50,000 rugby fans at a venue that Foley graced many times over his playing career.
The song is available to download at listen to now, though. All proceeds from sales are being donated to the ‘Orla’s Wild Ways’ charity, which in turn will get the money to the Mid-Western Cancer Foundation, children’s charity CARI and CRY, which provides screening and free bereavement counselling for families at risk of Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome (SADS)
‘Alone You Stand’ by Barry Murphy is available to download from https://www.idonate.ie/
