Watch: Donal Lenihan Had Some Fantastic Words To Say About Anthony Foley

Shocked is the only word.

Trying to come to terms with the sudden death of Anthony Foley is something a lot of people will struggle to do today. The former Ireland and Munster legend was found dead in his Paris hotel room overnight.

Former Ireland manager Donal Lenihan was in Paris today for the game and had some fantastic things to say about the former head coach.

His father Brendan was a member of that iconic Munster side that defeated the All Blacks in Thomond Park in 1978 and, as Lenihan recalls, Anthony was a constant presence with his father in the dressingroom.

“I got my first cap for Munster with Brendan, his father, I got my first cap for Ireland with his father. So I remember Anthony right from those early days, as a young fella running around the dressingroom at Thomond Park,” said Lenihan.

“There was a great rivalry between Shannon and Cork Con, my club, and Anthony, even as a young fella, was always a presence. He was destined to be a rugby player.

“I can think of him, [when I was] playing for Ireland, this little figure in the corner, waving an Irish flag. So you obviously take an interest when you know them from such a young age.

“To see him progress up through the ranks with Munster and to go on and get capped by Ireland, almost in perfect symmetry with his Dad, who was on that 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 on that incredible day in the Millennium Stadium.”