Facing up against his old Munster side was always going to be tough. Doing it in Paris, the city where Anthony Foley passed away less than three months ago, will make it indescribably so.
On Saturday, Munster revisit the city where so many of their hearts were broken by the tragic, October 16th passing of ‘Axel’, their head coach.
Munster had been due to open their Champions Cup campaign against O’Gara’s side on the morning Foley’s body was discovered. The game was cancelled but there were wonderful tributes paid to the fallen rugby giant outside the gates of Stade Yves du Manoir.
Since then, Munster have won nine of their 10 fixtures and played with a ferocious purpose that would have made Foley proud. Munster, the team and the community, have certainly made O’Gara proud.
Before Racing 92’s round two fixture against Leicester Tigers, the Cork native travelled to Co. Clare to attend Foley’s funeral and say his own farewell to his former teammate. He told BT Sport:
“What I saw the last week fills me with massive pride. It’s a special place and over there at Thomond Park yesterday was incredible. The world of rugby and the world of rugby has been extremely comforting. It’s a wonderful game we play.”
“It was so sad the last week. but with the teammates I had, we never laughed so much on Friday night. My ribs are actually sore from laughing. That helps.”
O’Gara, as defence coach with Racing, will be keen to give Munster nothing easy this weekend. However, with tributes planned to Foley before the game and Racing fans already reaching out to their Munster brethren, it is set to be an emotional game.
In the lead-up to the game, FM 104 reporter Dan Pitcher shared this fantastic video [below] that celebrates O’Gara and features a host of Munster legends, including Foley, that he played with.
“You knew you’d got a diamond there,” recalls Foley about the first time he came across O’Gara. “When you went to war, you were delighted that he was the soldier that would play alongside you.”
It certainly struck a chord with the former Munster No.10:
i never saw that.. Thanks.. means a lot.. holding back the tears at my desk now.#beautifulteammunster
— Ronan O Gara (@RonanOGara10) January 4, 2017
Definitely worth a watch. Try not to get emotional yourself as it is evocative stuff.
