‘He’s always spoken about’ – Munster aim for Stormers win as tribute to Anthony Foley

Eight years on and his influence and presence is still felt in the Munster dressing room, as former team-mate and current attack coach Mike Prendergast detailed ahead of his side's game against the Stormers in Cape Town on Saturday (5.0).

"We were speaking about it on the bus there, about Axel and the great memories. The thing about Axel, we always talk about him, always speak about him.

"Today's his anniversary but just in terms of what he was as a friend, what he was as a player and as a coach.

"He's a person we speak about all the time. A brilliant guy and we remember him obviously more today, his anniversary, but he's always spoken about."

Foley was one of this country's most respected rugby figures. He played 62 times for Ireland between 1995 and 2005 – then an Irish record for a No 8. He had also captained Munster to their first Heineken Cup triumph in 2006.

Less than a month after the tragedy, four Munster players stood at the front of a figure-of-eight tribute as Ireland faced the All Blacks at Soldier Field in Chicago.

Ireland were victorious that day – the first time an Irish team had beaten the All Blacks in 111 years – and in the process ended their run of 18 victories.

Now Munster hope they can pay tribute to Foley with a victory away to the Stormers this weekend,

Munster's chances of securing that victory will be boosted by the return of many crucial players from injury and the Emerging Ireland tour, including Billy Burns who came through training yesterday unscathed.

Burns will look to play the foil to Jack Crowley and Prendergast is delighted that he is back in the mix after he missed recent games due to a shoulder injury.

"Billy just brings that experience. He's been down here, he's played before down here and whether he starts, whether he's coming off the bench, we can adapt a small bit if we need to, in terms of moving pieces.

"He gives you a second playmaker, potentially, gives you an opportunity to add another offensive short-kicking option, which he's showed in the past to very good success.

"So as of now, he's in the mix and it's a big positive for us."

Prendergast says Munster were frustrated by a poor start at Croke Park that allowed Leinster to kill the game after 20 minutes and he hopes they can start fast and be more clinical going forward.

"There's a frustration more so than anything. As I said, we did an awful lot well, albeit not at the start of the game.

"It's something we spoke about, we cannot give teams that start, but I think if you look at 60 minutes after that there was some really good stuff on both sides of the ball.

"So a reaction is probably from a frustration, if I'm honest, and I go back to the opportunities we created a couple of metres from the line.

"So for me, the reaction can be about having that killer instinct and that calmness and trusting people at times that are outside you. For me, that's where we came up short, especially in those 20 minutes."