TYLER BLEYENDAAL’S TIME with Munster has been hampered by a succession of injuries, but the Kiwi out-half delivered emphatically on his promise on an emotionally charged afternoon at Thomond Park.
Bleyendaal, who joined Munster in 2015, contributed 16 points in a man-of-the-match performance as the southern province scored a 38-17 European Champions Cup victory over Glasgow Warriors in Limerick, despite the first-half sending-off of Keith Earls.
Just six days after the tragic death of their head coach Anthony ‘Axel’ Foley, Munster were fired up from the very first whistle and it was Bleyendaal who set them on their way, taking a pass from Keith Earls to score the first of five Munster tries with less than four minutes on the clock.
“It was a very tough week but we stuck together,” Bleyendaal told Sky Sports afterwards. “We were there to support [Anthony Foley's] family, Olive [ Anthony Foley's wife] and the kids, and the community, and we knew once we got to this pitch there was going to be a lot of emotion let go. But we had a job to do and Axel would’ve wanted us to do him proud.”
There have been many special occasions at Thomond Park down through the years, but this bonus-point victory over the Scots will stand out as a particularly memorable day in the history of Munster Rugby.
Bleyendaal: “It’s obviously a great experience to be a part of because the support that everyone here is showing for Axel, a true legend, and for his family, there’s just so much respect and honour out there and we’re privileged to be playing for his honour.”
Munster captain Peter O’Mahony echoed those sentiments: “We showed up, they showed up, obviously for a massive occasion and we came out here to play like Axel would have wanted us to play. We played for Olive and the kids and all their family and, God, I hope we did them proud today.”
