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Foley has been alongside Paul O'Connell for both Champions Cup games this season. Inpho/Billy Stickland
mindset

'A few times in my career there was no light at the end of the tunnel'

Munster lock Dave Foley won his first Ireland caps last month and has just signed a new IRFU contract.

“I’M A HAPPY man at the minute.”

Two Ireland caps, a new two-year contract with Munster and the IRFU, as well as first-choice status with his home province after seasons of biding his time; why wouldn’t Dave Foley be feeling content?

The 26-year-old was man of the match on his Ireland debut against Georgia last month, before making another promising appearance off the bench for Joe Schmidt’s side in the closing quarter versus Australia.

As he prepares for back-to-back Champions Cup clashes with Clermont over the next two weekends, Foley will take confidence from what has been an exceptional year so far. Not that he tends to dwell on what’s gone before.

“That’s exactly it, I’m looking ahead,” says the Clonmel man. “There’s no point in looking back, it won’t do me any good. I’m looking ahead this week and short-term goals work well for me.

We’ll try to play as well as we can this week, focus on ourselves early in the week and then we’ll focus on Clermont. We’ll be in good shape this weekend.”

With Donnacha Ryan continuing to suffer with a toe injury, Foley has muscled his way past 35-year-old Donncha O’Callaghan and Billy Holland in Munster’s second row pecking order over the past two seasons.

Foley’s performances as a starter in Europe and the Pro12 have amply rewarded head coach Anthony Foley, and Rob Penney before him. Schmidt has been converted too, making Foley a strong contender for World Cup selection next year.

Dave Foley Foley's mindset and professionalism have shifted in the last year or so. Donall Farmer / INPHO Donall Farmer / INPHO / INPHO

Prior to last month’s Tests, Foley had been involved in several Ireland training camps, but this November saw him become a fully-fledged member of the international group. Unsurprisingly, the experience hasn’t changed Foley’s mindset.

That process happened over a year ago, when the lock realised that his ambition and desire to achieve in rugby needed to be matched by a more intelligent and rounded approach to training, nutrition and lifestyle.

The same person came out that went in [to Ireland camp last month]. I took a turn maybe last year in my professionalism. I hadn’t had a taste as such up to that, so you just keep training on a steady pattern.

“Now you’ve got a taste of it, you want more and you’ll do anything to get more of it. You’ll leave no stone unturned.”

Having been in the Munster system since playing for the Youths at the age of 17, Foley made his full senior debut in 2010 while still in the province’s academy.

A development contract ahead of the 2010/11 season suggested he would be heavily involved in the first-team action thereafter, but just seven starts followed over the next three seasons.

“I suppose a few times in my career there was no light at the end of the tunnel,” admits Foley. “There was a massive line of second rows in front of me, and not just second rows, but some of them were world-class and some of them were international-class.

Dave Foley Now weighing more than 110kg, Foley's aggression is even more apparent. Donall Farmer / INPHO Donall Farmer / INPHO / INPHO

“I won’t go through them all, but then there was myself, Nages [Ian Nagle], and Billy [Holland] fighting for whatever scraps we could get when those lads were away.”

Scrap he did, all the while adding crucial extra kilos of bodyweight and a deeper understanding of the mechanics and tactics of the all-important set-piece. Now over 110kg, Foley’s long-standing aggression is matched with strong decision-making.

Head coach Foley has provided Munster with a gameplan that ideally fits the second row’s strengths, asking his forwards to control the set-piece, maul, threaten the opposition line-out, defend aggressively, and carry the ball short off scrum-half Conor Murray.

“I think Axel is a great coach,” says Foley of a man who has been a fan of his for some time. “I’m sure he’ll tell you himself that he’s learning every week, but I haven’t seen a huge change in his philosophy since I first came in here. He believes in certain things and if they’re done well, that they will win games.

I enjoy this game plan, a so-called around-the-corner game plan. It’s good for us because we get our hands on the ball. It’s tough to play, but enjoyable to play.

“We talk about linespeed in defence, getting off the line and not being passive. That suits us better [this weekend], to try and take away Clermont’s space, because their backline are world-class and they have unbelievable names across the team.”

Circumstances have changed for Foley in recent times, but his attitude remains the same. All thoughts are of the short-term future and doing what he can do to ensure Munster claim another crucial European victory.

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Munster look to carry Ireland’s November momentum into Clermont ties

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