Share

Foley haka tribute 'right thing to do' - Best

Chicago - Captain Rory Best said Ireland's pre-match tribute to Anthony Foley was "the right thing to do" following his team's historic upset of New Zealand.

In an emotionally-charged moment before kickoff as New Zealand performed their haka, Ireland's players lined up in a figure of eight -- a tribute to No.8 Foley, the beloved former Munster and Ireland player who died suddenly last month at the age of 42.

"We just talked about it through the management and the players," Best said afterwards.

"This was the national team's first time together since his passing. We felt it was the right thing to do," the veteran hooker said.

"We put the Munster boys at the front of it, to lead that. It was our way as the Irish national team of showing a mark of respect to Axel," he added, referring to Foley's nickname.

The tribute ultimately helped inspire Ireland to a remarkable 40-29 victory, the team's first win over New Zealand in the 111-year history of meetings between the two nations.

"There was a lot of emotion," Best said. "I'm sure the Munster boys got a bit from that. It was just an emotionally charged occasion.

"We knew we had a great opportunity. We did a lot of work in the week to make sure we were bang on and could draw on a bit of that emotion."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
26% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1470 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2244 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE