COACH CLASS — KILCOYNE ON REDS’ KEY MEN

Munster’s compelling renaissance owes much to the input of its coaching staff. Here, Dave Kilcoyne salutes the input of the quartet and pays tribute to the late Anthony Foley...

RASSIE ERASMUS

‘He has made a massive difference, a world class leader who has put world class structures in place. He just empowers everyone, the other coaches and the coaches empower the players. It’s a great environment and we’re prospering because of that.’

JACQUES NIENABER

‘He’s the best defence coach I have ever worked with, how he analyses teams. He’s an eccentric character and he brings energy and a positive buzz to the place. We’re constantly trying to turn our D into attack. Rassie and Jacques are on a different level.’

JERRY FLANNERY

‘He has done a brilliant job as forwards coach since Axel’s passing. He would’ve put his hand up and said he didn’t know everything, but it was a sign of his intelligence he knew the areas he wasn’t as strong in. Now he has trained himself up to where he is really strong.’

FELIX JONES

‘Ask the backs, he has been a revelation. It was a really clever move to bring him in to coach. You couldn’t get a better fit. He didn’t have the superstar career, his name wasn’t always in highlights, but he was always a players’ player, always the one who put the team above himself.’

ANTHONY FOLEY

‘If a Munster win can put a smile on Olive’s face or if Dan and Tony can chat about how their dad played and coached here and it gives them any bit of a lift, that’s an incredible feeling. We’ll always play for Axel. Anyone who gives so much to one club deserves that respect.’