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Foley won 202 caps for Munster in the back row. ©INPHO/James Crombie
Opinion

Foley's coaching promise makes him an intelligent appointment for Munster

The former No. 8 has built up enough experience to deserve his shot as head coach.

ANTHONY FOLEY WAS seemingly destined to become Munster’s head coach from the very moment he retired, but today’s appointment is about more than fulfilling the narrative.

The province has turned to a genuine Munster man to replace Rob Penney next season, and for some this may be viewed as a concern. However, beneath the incredible history that Foley has with Munster – the understanding he has of what playing for the province means – there is a hugely promising coach.

The 40-year-old’s 202 caps for Munster are easy to focus on, his two Heineken Cup winning medals and the other countless contributions he made on the pitch are hard to ignore as reasons for his selection as head coach. Of course those achievements have played a major role in him being picked to succeed Penney.

Still, Munster have gone for a man who offers huge promise as a coach, and one who has garnered enough high-end experience to deserve his shot at taking the reins full-time at provincial level.

Having learned his trade as the province’s ‘A’ team coach in his first two seasons after retiring from playing, while also working with the senior team on defence,  Foley linked up with the Ireland Wolfhounds as assistant to Eric Elwood in 2011 and 2012.

The start of the 2011/12 season saw Foley promoted to his current role as forwards coach at Munster, while he stepped in for the injured Gert Smal in the same role for Ireland during the 2012 Six Nations. The feedback from all of the above was and is increasingly positive.

An intelligent player in his time, Foley always appeared ideally suited to stepping into the world of coaching. However, the same could be said of so many sportsmen across the world who have ultimately failed when attempting to move into coaching after retirement; they are two very different games.

Anthony Foley with Casey Laulala Foley has a strong relationship with Munster's players. ©INPHO / Ryan Byrne ©INPHO / Ryan Byrne / Ryan Byrne

Jonny Wilkinson, as smart as Foley on the pitch and a man who may make a similar leap into coaching in the future, summed up the transition succinctly.

“Coaching isn’t about playing rugby,” he told Sky Sports. “It isn’t about taking what you did when you were playing rugby and showing other people how to do it.

Coaching is about support, man-management, it’s about language, it’s about all kinds of things – structuring sessions through to understanding acquisition of skills, mental fatigue, it’s about understanding personalities, everything.”

While the ultimate judgement on Foley’s success in bridging the gap will come over the next two years [with an option for a third] with Munster, the early signs have been good. Word from Munster, the Ireland Wolfhounds, even the Ireland senior side, is that Foley has taken to the art of coaching with comfort.

Several young coaches in world rugby would kill for the kind of experience Foley has already gained. Some of the few dissenting voices may suggest that the 40-year-old is not quite ready for this task, but how else is an Irish coach to get head coaching experience without actually being appointed?

Other clubs outside of Ireland had shown interest in Foley as a head coach before Munster made this move; they were excited by the promise and technical excellence he has demonstrated as a defence, forwards and assistant coach.

Any ideas that Munster will now return to a totally forward-centred approach to rugby under Foley next season are also preemptive. Let’s wait and see what views and beliefs the ex-Ireland international has on rugby from a head coaching perspective.

Foley has shown real potential as a coach up to this point and we will soon begin to find out if he can deliver on that when the extra responsibility falls on his shoulders.

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Anthony Foley confirmed as new Munster head coach

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