Oct 17,2024
Anthony 'Axel' Foley remains firmly in Munster thoughts eight years after the former Ireland player's passing, says Mike Prendergast.
Foley died in his sleep, aged 42, on 16 October 2016 of acute pulmonary oedema, a heart disease.
He was coaching Munster, who were preparing to play Racing 92 in a Champions Cup game in Paris.
The team, now under Graham Rowntree, are in South Africa ahead of Saturday's clash with Stormers in round 5 of the BKT URC and Prendergast was yesterday asked about his former team-mate, who played over 200 times for Munster and won 62 Ireland caps.
"We were speaking about it on the bus there about Axel and the great memories but the thing about Axel, we always talk about him, always speak about him," said Prendergast, who played scrum-half for Munster between 2001 and 2009.
"Today’s his anniversary but just in terms of what he was as a friend, what he was as a player and as a coach.
"He’s a person we speak about all the time. A brilliant guy and we remember him obviously more today, for the day that’s in it, his anniversary, but his name is always there. He’s always spoken about.
"In all our huddles, yeah, his name is mentioned literally every day that we’re together, whether it’s training or after games, whenever the boys are in a huddle, Axel’s name is always there and always will be."
Meanwhile, Prendergast was also asked about Alex Nankivell (above), who returned from injury in Munster's 26-12 loss to Leinster at the weekend.
The 27-year-old New Zealander has established himself as a first-choice centre since joining the club from the Chiefs ahead of the 2023/24 season.
"Nanks is a great player," said Prendergast, a former coach with Grenoble, Stade and Racing 92.
"He was quite in demand two years ago, which doesn’t surprise me. Just his rugby smarts and again, just knowing from coaching abroad you come across different individuals with different rugby philosophies that come from different countries and he’s one of those back here in Ireland.
"Obviously, he didn’t come through the Irish system, he came through the New Zealand system and just the bits and pieces around his game, his vision, his technical stuff, his communication.
"He’s got great power and his contact work but his ability to make players look good around him is incredibly exciting.
"He’s incredibly strong and guys like Jack [Crowley], guys like Tony [Butler] and Billy [Burns] inside him at 10 and everyone that’s around him, he’s a brilliant way of connecting people together.
'You just got to be taking them' - Munster attack coach Mike Prendergast urges team to be more clinical #RTERugby #RTESport pic.twitter.com/sY6ElUtxAI
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) October 16, 2024
"He’s challenging as well and I like that as a coach.
"He’s challenging with players, challenging with coaches, defensively, attack, whatever it may be, he’ll always ask 'why?’, and that gives the rest of the players an answer as well, which is great.
"When you’re signing a player, especially in Ireland where you’re only going to be bringing in two or three players from the outside, a lot of it is not just what to do on the pitch but off it as well in terms of what they can bring to the environment, what they can bring to the culture.
"He’s an incredibly good team player so yeah, Nanks has been a great signing for us."
