Keith Earls On That Phenomenal Axel Foley Tribute By Ireland

Unbelievable.

When we first saw Ireland lining up in the figure of eight as they prepared to face the haka last Saturday, we knew it was going to be a special day.

The figure of eight was a truly wonderful tribute to the late, great, Anthony Foley. The former Ireland and Munster back-row tragically passed away a few weeks ago as he prepared his side for their opening round Champions Cup clash.

Keith Earls is one of the few players to have both played with Foley as a player and played under him as a coach. Earls unfortunately missed the trip to Chicago due to being banned after an incident in the Glasgow game, where the emotion of the occasion seemed to get the better of him.

The Munster star was asked today what he thought of the gesture and it’s safe to say, he approved.

“It was unbelievable,” Keith Earls said in Carton House today.

“I wasn’t even thinking about anything like that leading up tot he game. Axel’s passed a couple of weeks now and you felt that things were moving on, people were trying to move on. Then just to see that was phenomenal.

For Axel’s family it was great that everyone is still thinking about him even though there’s matches going on.”

“Axel’s never going to be forgotten. There isn’t a day goes by when we don’t think of him. A lot of Munster players, a lot of Ireland players, have him to thank. He’s the one who started this journey, especially in Munster, he drove it from the start.

“With Ireland: he got 60 odd caps, captained his country a few times, the competitor he was… he’ll be forever in our thoughts.”

Having missed the Chicago trip, Earls will no doubt be hoping to fight his way back into the Ireland team for the return fixture against the All Blacks