LES KISS STRUGGLED to keep his emotions in check as Ulster’s Director of Rugby came to terms with the news that broke during his side’s Champions Cup defeat to Bordeaux this afternoon.
The IRFU confirmed the sudden passing of Anthony Foley halfway through the province’s game in France earlier, with the Ulster players and management learning of the news after the final whistle.
Speaking to Sky Sports afterwards, Kiss was visibly shaken as he remembered a ‘great man.’
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“My thoughts go out to Axel’s family, his kids, to the Munster family,” he said. “It’s a sad loss for a lot of people in Irish rugby and Munster rugby. It’s tragic really to tell you the truth.”
“It makes you think about what’s really important in life, and to lose someone so young, a good man, a great man, it’s tragic.”
Kiss added Foley to his coaching team during his time as Ireland’s interim head coach back in 2013 and he described the characteristics which made him such an influential player and figure throughout his career.
“He was the heart and soul of the Irish team too for a long time,” Kiss explained.
Kiss chatting with Foley before a Pro12 game in Belfast last year. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
“I had the pleasure to coach with Axel, and he just saw the game in the simplest way. That was to be tough up front and play the game in an uncompromising way, and that was they type of character he was.
“He was a very generous man, he couldn’t do enough for people. When you have someone like that in the game in your country, like Ireland have, it’s a blessing. This is such a sad loss for everyone.
“The adjectives come pretty quick to the mind, but I think more than anything, Axel stood for something. When he had a thought on something or when he talked about something, you could see the conviction in his voice. That really came through in his voice.
“When he reflected on Olive and has family, there was always this wonderful generous spirit there that knew that family was important. He talked about his dad a lot, and a lot of those things, so family was a very important thing to him as well. He was part of that Munster family in the halcyon days, and he stood for something, but more importantly he was a family man.”
Ulster result put in perspective for Kiss as he remembers 'a very generous, family man'
LES KISS STRUGGLED to keep his emotions in check as Ulster’s Director of Rugby came to terms with the news that broke during his side’s Champions Cup defeat to Bordeaux this afternoon.
The IRFU confirmed the sudden passing of Anthony Foley halfway through the province’s game in France earlier, with the Ulster players and management learning of the news after the final whistle.
Speaking to Sky Sports afterwards, Kiss was visibly shaken as he remembered a ‘great man.’
“My thoughts go out to Axel’s family, his kids, to the Munster family,” he said. “It’s a sad loss for a lot of people in Irish rugby and Munster rugby. It’s tragic really to tell you the truth.”
“It makes you think about what’s really important in life, and to lose someone so young, a good man, a great man, it’s tragic.”
Kiss added Foley to his coaching team during his time as Ireland’s interim head coach back in 2013 and he described the characteristics which made him such an influential player and figure throughout his career.
“He was the heart and soul of the Irish team too for a long time,” Kiss explained.
“I had the pleasure to coach with Axel, and he just saw the game in the simplest way. That was to be tough up front and play the game in an uncompromising way, and that was they type of character he was.
“The adjectives come pretty quick to the mind, but I think more than anything, Axel stood for something. When he had a thought on something or when he talked about something, you could see the conviction in his voice. That really came through in his voice.
“When he reflected on Olive and has family, there was always this wonderful generous spirit there that knew that family was important. He talked about his dad a lot, and a lot of those things, so family was a very important thing to him as well. He was part of that Munster family in the halcyon days, and he stood for something, but more importantly he was a family man.”
The sporting world united in grief as tributes pour in for Anthony ‘Axel’ Foley
Munster fans pay a poignant tribute to Anthony Foley in Paris
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Anthony Foley Axel Les Kiss RIP